Train tickets sold out, accommodation price gouging controversy.. BTS Busan Concert D-7 [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

No place to stay, no way to travel.

With the boy group BTS(BTS) Busan concert just one week away, the journey to Busan appears to be fraught with difficulties.

BTS(RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, Jungkook) will hold 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN BUSAN' on the 12th and 13th at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

This marks their first full-group appearance in Busan after approximately three years and eight months. BTS previously held the '2030 Busan World Expo Bid Prayer Concert 'Yet to Come' in BUSAN' at the same venue in October 2022. Notably, June 13 is BTS's debut anniversary, making expectations for this Busan concert unprecedented.

Indeed, immediately after news of the Busan concert broke, an enormous crowd and demand flooded all transportation options and lodging facilities heading to Busan. In some cases, allegations of excessive price hikes even emerged. For instance, one accommodation in Busan, which could previously be booked for around 60,000 won per night, was suddenly listed at 760,000 won per night during the concert period. Furthermore, some venues unilaterally canceled existing reservations under the guise of overbooking and then reopened bookings at higher prices, pushing fans' anger to its peak.

Nevertheless, hotels near the venue and major lodging facilities were fully booked well in advance. Currently, even remote areas far from central Busan or dilapidated motels with outdated facilities are demanding absurd rates starting at 300,000 won. While these prices represent several times the usual weekend rates, fans facing the immediate threat of being stranded on the streets have no choice but to reluctantly open their wallets.

Transportation chaos is also a major issue. Currently, one week before the concert, all seats on KTX and SRT trains from major cities like Seoul to Busan are already sold out. Citizens planning trips to Busan around the same time have also found themselves stranded. Online reviews from fans who are constantly refreshing booking windows day and night in hopes of securing even a canceled ticket are easy to find.

In response, the government recently announced the 'Implementation Status and Future Plans for Eliminating Price Gouging.' This includes incorporating regulations to penalize lodging businesses for unilateral cancellations into law and strengthening compensation standards for consumer damages.

According to the government, a total of 311 complaints regarding lodging issues related to the BTS Busan concert were received by the 29th of last month. Of these, 256 involved cancellations and 48 concerned high-price charges. The government is pushing to introduce the 'Price Safety System,' which requires lodging businesses to report and publicly disclose time-based lodging price caps to local governments. Regulations to penalize unilateral cancellations will also be newly established. The related legislative amendment bill aims to be introduced this month and finalized into law by the end of the year.

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*This content was translated by AI.