Buddhist temples in and around Busan are offering free or low-cost accommodation to BTS fans after the K-pop group’s concerts sent hotel prices soaring in the South Korean city and sparked complaints about booking cancellations.
The concerts on 12 and 13 June are part of the group’s first tour since all seven members completed their country’s mandatory military service. Temples in Busan, like Beomeo, Naewonjeong, Hongbeop, and Seonam, and religious establishments in nearby cities are opening spaces to visitors during the concert weekend, according to the state news agency Yonhap.
A “temple stay” is a cultural programme run by Buddhist temples where visitors stay overnight and experience aspects of monastic life such as meditation, religious ceremonies, vegetarian meals, and communal living. The programme was first started during the 2002 football World Cup and went on to become popular with tourists.
Concertgoers using the temple accommodation programme will need to follow designated check-in and check-out times and communal living guidelines because the establishments are primarily used by monks and nuns. Other usual rules include wearing uniforms and observing quiet hours.
The initiative is being coordinated by the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, which says the temples will make temple-stay quarters and other available spaces accessible to visitors, with some locations also providing meals and opportunities to experience Buddhist practices and Korean culture. “The BTS concerts in Busan are a major cultural attraction for fans from around the world,” the Cultural Corps said. “We hope to share the spirit of generosity and hospitality embodied by temples, and help visitors leave Busan with warm memories.”
Accommodation prices in cities like Seoul, Goyang and Busan have gone up rapidly since the BTS concert dates were announced in January. Busan’s city government received more than 90 complaints that month alone over alleged price gouging and booking cancellations. A guesthouse that typically charged 70,000 won (£34) a night in February was reportedly listing the same room for 600,000 won (£294) during the concert weekend. The complaints led authorities in Busan to launch inspections and threaten tax audits for businesses accused of excessive price increases.
