Busan Residents Open Spare Rooms to BTS Fans, Shedding 'Price Gouging' Stigma

Busan is showcasing its character as a "city of hospitality" on the occasion of a BTS concert. Despite controversy over price surges at some lodging businesses, citizens, religious groups, and public institutions have voluntarily offered accommodations, an analysis suggests, contributing to a mature civic spirit and an improved city image.

According to the Busan Metropolitan Government and others Tuesday, controversy arose after some lodging businesses raised room rates several times over following confirmation that the BTS World Tour "Arirang IN Busan" would be held. As criticism mounted that this was unbecoming of an international event, the city pushed forward a "Fair Lodging Challenge" to stabilize the market, while civil society and religious groups also joined in providing accommodations.

"Busan Galmaegi Dungji Stay," a citizen-participation shared lodging project, is also drawing attention. Under the program, citizens open spare rooms in homes where they actually live to foreign tourists, an approach considered meaningful precisely because residents open the spare rooms of homes where they actually live.

Recruitment began on the 1st, and as of the 8th, 21 households had joined, with 46 foreign tourists set to stay with these families. The Busan Metropolitan Government sees the program as carrying great symbolic significance, given that participation was voluntary despite the burden of having to give up living space to strangers, even if the scale is not large. With participation continuing even in a situation where economic gain is hard to expect, the city's image of "hospitality" is being highlighted, it said.

Voluntary movements by citizens are indeed continuing. Choi Yong-ho recently posted on social media that he "will provide spare rooms free of charge to foreign concertgoers." Saying he "wants to help those visiting Busan," he stated that he would provide not only lodging but also car rides to the subway station.

Religious groups, public institutions, and universities are also helping to secure accommodations. The Busan Metropolitan Government cooperated with Buddhist and Christian facilities, including Beomeosa Temple, as well as the Busan Bank training center, the Samsung Haeundae training center, Busan Physical Education High School, the Busan Human Resources Development Institute, and Pukyong National University to arrange 26 alternative lodging facilities. Through these, a total of 1,771 people can stay, of whom 318 can use them free of charge and 1,453 at relatively low cost.

The lodging industry is also showing signs of self-correction. Ninety-one lodging businesses joined the "Fair Lodging Challenge" and pledged to maintain reasonable rates, while the Busan branch of the Korea Lodging Industry Association and the Busan Tourism Association also moved to stabilize prices. As a result, unlike in April when some lodgings exceeded 1 million won, most have now come down to below 500,000 won, excluding five-star hotels. More than 180 lodgings have rooms priced below 300,000 won per night during the concert period.

Within and outside the city, the case is being received as one that goes beyond a simple response to a lodging shortage and demonstrates a mature civic spirit that enhances the city's image. This is because citizens stepped forward themselves to protect the city's image, rather than leaving it to administrative measures alone. There is also analysis that, for visitors who come for the concert, the city's atmosphere and the attitude of its citizens may leave a stronger impression than the facilities themselves.

A Busan Metropolitan Government official said, "When the lodging rate controversy broke out, there were concerns about damage to the city's image," adding, "As citizens, religious groups, public institutions, and the industry responded together, the result is that we are showing Busan's dignity."

Meanwhile, the BTS World Tour "Arirang IN Busan" concerts will be held on the 12th and 13th at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. The Busan Metropolitan Government plans to operate "Welcome Centers" at major hubs such as Busan Station and Gimhae Airport, providing tourist information, luggage storage and delivery, and K-content experiences.