Busan retailers gear up for 100,000 BTS fans ahead of 'Arirang in Busan' tour

Busan's retail sector is scrambling to capture BTS fans ahead of the group's world tour "Arirang in Busan."

With an estimated 100,000 people expected to descend on the city for performances on Friday and Saturday, local retailers are rolling out pop-up stores, special exhibitions and discount promotions.

The push draws on lessons learned from a BTS event held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul in March. Sales to foreign customers at Lotte Department Store's main branch jumped 135 percent year on year, while Shinsegae Department Store's flagship store posted a 48 percent increase. Convenience stores also benefited: sales at five GS25 locations near Gwanghwamun rose 3.3 times compared with the same day of the prior week, with the store closest to the venue up nearly fivefold. Sales at 10 nearby CU stores climbed 3.7 times over the same period.

Busan department stores have lined up pop-up and discount events of their own. Shinsegae Department Store's Centum City branch has set up a merchandise shop in the first below-ground floor event hall and a BTS music and content experience space on the second below-ground floor's Hyper Stage, both running through Sunday. Busan-exclusive merchandise will also be on sale.

Lotte Department Store is running gift-with-purchase events and preferential exchange rate promotions for foreign tourists across six of its department store and outlet locations, including its Busan flagship. It is also piloting a foreign-visitor shuttle bus connecting Gimhae International Airport and Seomyeon Lotte Town. Hyundai Department Store's Connect Hyundai Busan branch is hosting "K Street Festa," a showcase of Korean fashion brands including Setter and Covernat, through Sunday.

Food and beverage companies are also joining in. Hy and Paldo are promoting "Ari," a product developed with direct input from BTS members on everything from flavor to packaging design, as their main draw for fans. Limited-edition merchandise will be available at on-site booths on the day of the performances.

Convenience store chains are focusing on improving demand forecasting accuracy. GS25 has stocked up based on sales data from BTS concerts in 2022, while CU has divided affected stores into three zones — A, B and C — to tailor its response by proximity to the venue.

Busan has already established itself as a popular destination among foreign tourists. According to the Busan Tourism Organization, the city welcomed 451,943 foreign visitors in April, up 25.9 percent from the same month a year earlier. Visitors from China rose 82.4 percent and those from Taiwan climbed 34.1 percent.

Foreign customer sales at Lotte Department Store's Busan flagship jumped 125 percent year on year in the January-to-May period, while Shinsegae's Centum City branch surged 267 percent. Sales through foreign payment methods at GS25 stores near Haeundae and Gwangalli in Busan rose 191 percent over the same period.

"ARMY fans stay longer than typical tourists and spend generously on shopping and cultural experiences — they are quintessential big spenders," an industry official said. "This weekend should mark the start of a broader upturn for Busan's retail sector as a whole.".