"Already Reserved, But 'Pay 500,000 Won More' and Rooms Resold at 5 Times Price... Accommodation Alert for 'BTS Busan Concert'"

Warning against “Unfair Additional Charges and Unilateral Cancellations” during Concert Week
No obligation to pay beyond posted prices... Report violations to 1372 if harmed

With the large-scale BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) concert scheduled to take place in Busan this June, authorities have issued a warning as some accommodation providers have been engaging in unfair practices such as unilateral cancellation of reservations and demanding unreasonable additional charges, disrupting the market.

Busan Asiad Main Stadium where BTS's 2022 concert was held. It will be held at the same venue this year as well. Big Hit Music.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) announced on May 29 that, together with the Korea Consumer Agency and the Busan Consumer Organization Council, it has issued an urgent “Consumer Alert for Excessive Accommodation Charges” in preparation for the BTS World Tour “ARIRANG IN BUSAN” concerts to be held on June 12 and 13.

Demanding KRW 500,000 Extra Before Check-In on the Pretext of Low Price... Arbitrary Cancellation and Fivefold Price Resale Also Reported

According to Article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of the Public Health Control Act, accommodation businesses are required to display their business registration certificate within their premises and a list of accommodation fees at the reception desk, strictly adhering to the posted rates. Therefore, consumers have no legal obligation to comply with any additional charges demanded by the accommodation provider after the reservation has been confirmed.

Nevertheless, there has been a series of detected unfair practices by accommodation providers seeking to capitalize on the demand generated by the major event. According to major cases disclosed by the KFTC, Accommodation A in Haeundae-gu, Busan, demanded an additional payment of KRW 500,000 before check-in from a consumer who had confirmed a two-night reservation during the BTS concert week, claiming “the reservation was made at a lower price than the market rate,” or pressured the consumer to cancel the reservation. Accommodation B was caught arbitrarily canceling a reservation that had been completed two months prior, citing “overbooking” and “incorrect price notification,” then reselling the same room to another consumer at five times the original contract price. Accommodation C also repeatedly demanded cancellation—three times in total—from a consumer with a confirmed reservation, claiming that the room had been mistakenly listed at a lower price.

"Refuse Additional Charges and Keep Reservation Records Thoroughly"

The KFTC and the Korea Consumer Agency have strongly advised consumers using accommodation facilities to exercise particular caution to avoid such unfair damages. Recommended actions include: ▲ taking photos or otherwise recording the posted accommodation price list, ▲ checking whether the amount charged exceeds the listed price, ▲ firmly refusing and communicating rejection if the accommodation provider demands additional payments after the contract has been concluded, and ▲ keeping the reservation confirmation or reservation details thoroughly as a precaution in case of disputes.

If an accommodation provider forcibly cancels a reservation or terminates a contract without the consumer’s consent during the process, resulting in consumer damage, consumers may apply for counseling or relief through the “1372 Consumer Counseling Center” (dial 1372 without an area code), the “1330 Tourism Information Call Center,” or via “Consumer24,” provided they retain supporting transaction documentation.

The authorities stated they will further strengthen monitoring of unfair trade practices that disrupt market order so that both domestic and international fans visiting Busan for the concert can trade with confidence. In particular, they clarified that it may constitute collusion under the Fair Trade Act if businesses share price information to set prices or establish price floors under the pretense of preventing cutthroat competition. Authorities also plan to focus on monitoring unfair practices such as bundling products or services or coercing transactions, and will take strict action if any legal violations are detected.

Meanwhile, the KFTC and the Korea Consumer Agency, together with relevant ministries and local governments, conducted a “Joint On-Site Inspection of Accommodation Providers During BTS Concert Week” on May 13, checking for the absence of posted price lists and non-compliance with posted prices. The authorities announced that they will continue to conduct additional joint inspections—including on May 29, June 8, and June 9—to prevent further consumer damage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.