BTS swept three major awards, including the prestigious Artist of the Year, at the American Music Awards (AMA), one of the United States’ top three music award shows, solidifying their position at the pinnacle of the global music industry.
Just as the world was celebrating their monumental achievement in a festive atmosphere, the members delivered a powerful and direct message during a live broadcast to some accommodation businesses in their hometown of Busan. They temporarily set aside their glamorous pop star crowns and did not hesitate to speak candidly — even about uncomfortable truths — for the sake of their fans. We take a closer look at their sincere hearts.
1. RM’s Refreshing Dialect Jab During the AMA Victory Live
After successfully completing the awards ceremony in Las Vegas on the 25th (local time), BTS went live on the fan platform Weverse to communicate in real time with ARMYs around the world. While sharing their joy with the prestigious trophies in front of them, leader RM brought up a heavy but necessary topic.
RM said, “I’m going to Busan after a long time, so I wanted to take this opportunity to say something. There’s been a lot of news lately about accommodation issues in Busan.” He continued, “There’s only so much we can do to solve it. Of course, some price fluctuations are inevitable between peak and off seasons,” before adding in his warm Busan dialect, “But let’s take it easy. Seriously.” He expressed strong disappointment at the excessive profiteering by some local accommodation businesses.
2. Busan Natives Jimin and Jungkook’s Anger: “Raising prices several times is too much”
Following their leader’s principled statement, Busan-born members Jimin and Jungkook also could not hide their disappointment and anger.
Jimin said, “I really hope fans who come to Busan only take away good memories and experiences, but seeing the news makes me feel so bad,” and pointed out, “Isn’t it too much to raise prices several times higher than normal?”
Shortly after, Jungkook took the mic and delivered a short but heavy warning in his characteristically blunt and rough Busan dialect: “Stop it already (고마해라).” It was a powerful moment in which they used their influence in the right way during an official live broadcast watched by millions of fans worldwide, listening to their fans’ real struggles and actively speaking up on their behalf.
3. Rooms That Were 100,000 Won Jump to Millions… Busan City Launches ‘Fair Accommodation Challenge’
The reason BTS members stepped forward so directly was the extreme profiteering by some Busan accommodation businesses ahead of the BTS World Tour ‘ARIRANG’ concerts scheduled for June 12–13 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.
Online communities and social media were flooded with proof of accommodation prices skyrocketing from the usual 100,000 KRW range up to several million KRW — more than 10 times higher. There were also reports of malicious operators forcibly canceling existing reservations and relisting rooms at much higher prices, sparking public outrage.
As the global stars BTS directly called out the issue and the controversy grew, Busan City also took action. To protect tourists’ convenience and the city’s image, the city began promoting the ‘Fair Accommodation Challenge’. In response to BTS’s heartfelt message, local communities stepped up: temples such as Beomeosa, Hongbeopsa, and Seonamsa offered temple stays, while churches, cathedrals, universities, and public institutions pledged to provide free or fair-priced accommodations. Some conscientious hotels also declared they would only sell canceled rooms at regular prices, helping to turn the situation around.
Closing
On the day they received the highest honor, BTS threw a refreshing punch at their hometown businesses to ensure that fans traveling from far away would not become victims of overcharging. As artists who thrive on public love, their willingness to speak out and take action on social issues clearly shows why they are respected as the most admired artists in the world.
We sincerely hope that next month’s Busan ‘ARIRANG’ concert will become a historic festival filled with fairness and warm sincerity, rather than profiteering and commercialism — just as the members wished.
What did you think of BTS’s candid dialect remarks calling out Busan accommodation businesses during the Weverse live?
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