260,000 "ARMY" Fans to Gather, Gwanghwamun Abuzz

 Original article: Naver

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Local Businesses Look Forward to BTS's March Concert

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"Let's split accomodation costs near Gwanghwamun, and find a partner to attend the concert and explore Korean food together!"

This post appeared on the ARMY Seoul Stay website, which was created ahead of BTS's comeback concert to be held on 21 of next month at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. The site was voluntarily set up by fans from around the world to share travel information ahead of their trips to Korea. 

On the message boards, posts are appearing in languages from all over the world, including English, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Malay, and Arabic. One Indonesian fan shared "tips for traveling cheaply in Korea," writing, "You can buy rice and side dishes at convenience stores for 2,000-4,000 won, eat gimbap at Gimbap Cheonguk, and enjoy street foods at Gwangjang Market." A fan who said they live in Los Angeles wrote, "I'm looking for someone to go shopping in Hongdae and Myeongdong and tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, Itaewon, and the Han River together."

As all seven BTS members reunite for their first full-group concert after completing military service, global attention is focused on Gwanghwamun. On the 3rd, when the concert was confirmed, Google searches for "Gwanghwamun" surged to more than three times the previous day's level. With up to 260,000 fans (according to police estimates) expected to gather on the day of the concert, expectations are rising that they're nationwide travel will help revitalize the sluggish economy. 

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Gwanghwamun Businesses Target the "BTS Boom"

🎁 : Convenience stores temporarily set up BTS-themer product sections and assign multilingual staffs

🏢 : All 1,500 rooms at five-star hotels within 1km of Gwanghwamun Station fully booked

🛍 : Duty-Free shops sell BTS cheering to old and merchandise to attract tourists 

🔎 : Searches for "Gwanghwamun" increase more than threefold

Gwanghwamun Energized by "BTS-nomics"

Hotels, cafés, and convenience stores near Gwanghwamun are already buzzing with what is known as "BTS-nomics." All 1,500 rooms at five-star hotels within a 1-kilometer radius of Gwanghwamun Station are fully booked for the concert day. About 100 nearby convenience stores are also preparing to welcome ARMY. 

Seven-Eleven plans to dispatch headquarter staffs fluent in foreign languages to around 40 stores near the venue. It will stock up ten times the usual amount of popular items for foreign tourists, such as banana milk, cup noodles, phone chargers, and hand warmers. GS25 plans to attract fans by prominently displaying "IGIN," a traditional liquor promoted by BTS member Jin. 

Starbucks will launch Seoul-themed beverages for the first time in conjunction with the concert and sell special products featuring purple—the symbolic color of ARMY—and traditional Korean patterns. Donghea Duty Free, located at the Gwanghwamun Intersection, will begin advance sales of light sticks, T-shirts, towels, photo cards, dolls, and bags from March 10.

Competition to dominate the area's massive digital billboards—often called the "Korean Times Square"—is also intensifying. These screens are seen as ideal advertising platforms for capturing the attention of global BTS fans. Prime-time slots during the concert have reportedly been fully secured by Netflix, which will exclusively Livestream the event worldwide. Overseas fan clubs are also joining the race. "Jungkook China," a Chinese fan base, announced plans to display birthday ads on major billboards near Gwanghwamun starting two days before the concert. 

The Gwanghwamun and Jongno areas, often called "BTS pilgrimage routes," are drawing even greater interest. Fans are expected to visit sites such as Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon and Gyeonghoeru, the Lee Jung-seob exhibition "Writing, Lee Jung-seob," the Whanki Museum, and the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, where a BTS time capsule is kept. 

Regional Businesses Also Anticipate the "BTS Effect"

The BTS effect is expected to spread further. Additional concerts are scheduled in Goyang in April and Busan in June, and local businesses that have suffered from prolonged domestic sluggishness are hoping for a boost from "BTS-nomics."

Accomodation providers and express bus companies are rolling out packages aimed at BTS fans, combining lodging, travel, and concert tickets. One transportation company official said, "We have already confirmed the operation of more than 60 limousine buses." Fans are also sharing information by creating guides such as the "Complete Busan BTS Pilgrimage Guide," which includes schools the members attended, their favorite tteokbokki shops, and music video filming locations. 

Ahead of the massive influx of fans, the Seoul and Busan city governments have held joint public-private meetings in event safety management and preventing price gouging. They plan to conduct undercover inspections at traditional markets and tourist sites to crack down on illegal practices, and to open university dormitories and youth facilities for accommodation in order to protect Korea's tourism image.