Busan launches homestay program ahead of BTS concerts

BTS wins Artist of the Year during the 2026 American Music Awards, in Las Vegas, Nev., May 25. Reuters-Yonhap

Ahead of next week's BTS concerts, Busan launched a citizen homestay program as part of efforts to stabilize accommodation prices.

Busan Metropolitan City said Monday that the three-day program, running June 12-14 to coincide with the concerts, will offer stays at private residences of Busan citizens, with each booking covering two nights.

To participate, foreign tourists can apply through k-popstay.wehome.me or Visit Korea. The program is offered free of charge, with a 50,000-won ($33) security deposit required at the time of reservation to prevent ghost bookings and no-shows. The deposit will be fully refunded upon check-in in the form of a Busan tourism voucher of the same value, usable at traditional markets and other local venues.

The city will also cover liability insurance premiums for hosts, including personal injury and property damage, within the available budget, allowing them to open their homes without liability concerns.

A website promoting the Busan citizen homestay program / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City

Scheduled for June 12 and 13, the K-pop juggernaut's Busan concerts are drawing high anticipation from fans, especially as the second day marks the group's debut anniversary and the city is the hometown of members Jimin and Jung Kook.

Accommodation prices surged early, according to a January survey by the Korea Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Consumer Agency. The survey, based on rates from 135 properties, including 52 hotels, 39 motels and 44 vacation rentals listed on major booking platforms, found that the average one-night rate for the concert weekend was 433,999 won ($288), 2.4 times higher than the weekends before and after.

In response, Busan has been running a fair-pricing campaign since last month. City-run public accommodation facilities now have a combined capacity of around 1,400 people, the city said.

“We aim to cement Busan's image as a warm and fair tourism destination for international fans, and to establish the citizen homestay program as a go-to alternative accommodation model for future large-scale international events,” said Kim Bong-cheol, director of the city's digital economy office.