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BTS Complete Comeback Expected to Bring 20 Million Foreign Tourists to Seoul

Published 2026.02.15

By Cely Editor

BTS Complete Comeback Expected to Bring 20 Million Foreign Tourists to Seoul

BTS is making a complete comeback after 3 years and 9 months, and it's expected to bring unprecedented tourism growth to South Korea. The BTS comeback concert scheduled for June 21st at Gwanghwamun in Seoul is anticipated to attract 200,000 to 300,000 attendees, with 30-40% being foreign audiences, translating to approximately 100,000 international visitors. Following BTS's tour announcement, search queries for Seoul from overseas increased by 155% within 48 hours, while Busan searches surged tens of times higher. Industry experts forecast that foreign tourist arrivals could exceed 20 million for the first time in 2024, matching global tourism cities like London (22.7 million) and Tokyo (25 million). Since over 90% of BTS's revenue originates from diverse markets including the United States, United Kingdom, India, and Mexico, this could diversify Korea's tourism structure beyond its traditional China and Japan-focused pattern. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has pledged active support to ensure foreign attendees have enjoyable experiences. Tourism platform analysts note that concert fans demonstrate high spending patterns and repeat visit rates, generating significant indirect economic effects compared to other tourism forms.