BTS Fans Bring Billions in Spending Power to Splurge on Concert Trip
By Reuters | 24 Mar, 2026

The BTS comeback concert brought the ARMY to Seoul where they spend thousands to indulge in tickets, beauty treatments, shopping and souvenirs.

BTS fans from around the world are pouring into South Korea's capital, Seoul.

They are spending big on travel, beauty treatments, shopping and Korean barbecue.

Even if they don’t have concert tickets.

Among their ranks is Maria Herrera from Vancouver, Canada.

She is in Seoul with her daughters.

“We do skincare, for example. For myself, Botox, facial, Potenza and all those stuff. And then we do our haircare here, like we do haircuts."

This fan from Spain said she is going to spend close to $2,000 for two weeks in the city.

She is part of a massive global wave of fans that analysts are calling “BTSnomics.”

The excitement rose before the band's long-awaited comeback show on Saturday, after more than three years apart due to military service.

NH Investment & Securities estimates the K-pop giants' 44-city tour could generate more than $5.3 billion from tickets, tourism, hotels, dining and merchandise.

Despite fewer than expected attendees on Saturday, the fans' around-the-event spending is driving a real economic impact.

Yu Jung-Hyun is an analyst at Daishin Securities.

"From the first week of March through the following three weeks, the number of foreign arrivals was reported to have increased by 32% compared to the same period last year. It seems that many people visited South Korea because of the BTS concert. As a result, sales at department stores in downtown are said to have surged by about 20–40% over the two days of March 20 and 21."

Similar boosts have been seen with tours by Taylor Swift and Coldplay.

Though many economists say big concerts yield only a small, short-term lift, South Korea is reaping some real benefits. 

At a duty-free retailer in downtown Myeongdong, BTS merchandise sales jumped 430% in the week before the concert.

In the same area, Lotte Department Store's weekend revenue was up 30% from a year ago.

Business is also picking up for this local salon. 

A hair designer said they're seeing a big influx of customers, likely due to the concert.

BTS' world tour will kick off on April 9 in the South Korean city of Goyang.

It will make stops in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Singapore and other major destinations.

Ticket sales alone could hit $1.8 billion, with the band using a centralized stage that increases capacity.