Some Fans' Disrespectful Behavior Toward Gifts Personally Paid for by BTS Sparks Backlash

 

On the 12th, BTS's concert was held in Busan, turning the entire city into a see of purple throughout the day. With an estimated 100,000 BTS fans expected to flock to Busan over the two-day concert period, which coincides with the group's 13th debut anniversary FESTA celebration, the eyes and ears of the world have been fixed on the city.

On the first day of the concert series, BTS prepared several surprises for fans, including new outfits for the opening performances, the unexpected addition of "Paldogangsan," "Ma City," and "One More Night" to the setlist. Most notably, fans attending the Busan concerts were given a special privilege: receiving a gift personally prepared by the members themselves.

The gift bag contained both commemorative items and practical everyday essentials, including a transparent mini backpack, a message card, commemorative photos, an umbrella, a towel, a Laneige face mask, and a bottle of perfume. While these items may seem ordinary, their practically—especially during the hot summer season—reflects the thoughtfulness and sincerity the idols put into choosing gifts for their fans.

However, while BTS's affection for ARMY is undeniable, the actions of some fans have failed to reflect the same level of respect in return. Disappointingly, only hours after receiving these gift bags—and in some cases, even before the concert had ended—some individuals had already listed them for sale on social media platforms at heavily marked-up prices.

According to reports from the fan community, one Twitter account advertised numerous still-sealed BTS gift boxes for approximately 230,000 won per set, equivalent to around US$150. Meanwhile, on Bunjang—a popular South Korean online marketplace where K-pop fans frequently buy, sell, and trade merchandise and photocards—countless gift sets have also appeared for sale. Some were opened, while others remained completely unopened, with prices ranging from US$110 to US$190, and some even being listed for as much as US$200-300.

What makes the situation even more disappointing is that these were not commercial merchandise items or products released for profit. They were free gifts that BTS prepared for fans in celebration of the group's 13th debut anniversary FESTA. The members also revealed that they had personally paid for and carefully selected each gift as a way of expressing their gratitude to ARMY. During their live streaming concert chat, BTS even shared, "Each of us took out our wallets and chose every single gift ourselves...," "I wish there wasn't anyone who didn't receive one," and "Hope everyone gets theirs!!"

Moreover, each gift box also contained handwritten letters featuring heartfelt messages from the members to ARMY. Leader RM wrote, "A gift for ARMY! I hope you like it. See you soon!!" Jin expressed his gratitude by writing, "We've prepared a small token as a sign of our gratitude to our ARMYs. Please think of us every time you see them!" Suga excitedly added, "ARMY!! This is a gift we prepared ourselves! Do you like itu?" J-Hope also shared, "For you! ARMY... This is our heartfelt gift to all of you. We lov you!" Jimin expresse his wish that fans would "remember this moment for a long time." Meanwhile, V and Jungkook brought miles with their playful messages. V asked, "After the day ends, what would you like to have for dinner?" while Jungkook suggested, "ARMY! Put on this perfume and let's run and have fun together!!!"

Yet despite the sincerity and effort BTS pured into these gifts, they were exploited by a small number of fans for personal profit. Turning a heartfelt token of appreciation into a money-making opportunity is clearly disrespectful, an unacceptable, considering the members' effort and genuine affection.

In addition, many fans criticized the organizers for the chaotic gift distribution process. According to eyewitness accounts, there was no proper queue management or verification system, allowing some people who had already received gifts to colect aditional sets while otheres were left empty-handed. One widely shared incident showed a single staff and mobbed by hundreds of people attempting to grab them. This disorder is also believed to be one of the reasons why the concert was delayed by 1 hour and 15 minutes.

As photos and listings of the gifts being resold spread across social media, they sparked a wave of strong criticism from genuine fans, such as:

● "My boys poured all their heart into this, but some people chose to sell it. They truly don't deserve the boys' kindness."

● "ARMYs should report all the sellers. After the stadium fiasco, I don't care how they got these gifts, but they don't deserve to profit from BTS's personal gifts."

● "Money-hungry as always... No sentiment whatsover. F*ck*ss people."

● "How di this fcking happen?! One person has so many gifts that were meant to be limited to one per person, and they have the audacity to sell them at these prices?! Fck y'all. Some ARMYs didn't even get one."

● "Someone here said that the gifts were stolen by people without tickets. They need to be reported."

● "I'm not surprised at all! This is why they kept emphasizing that these free gifts were for ARMY, that they bought the with their own money, and that they wanted fans to cherish them. They knew some people would sell BTS freebies online like they always do. They even sold the handwritten letters."

● "Tannies prepared these gifts for ARY with so much love, an this is what they get in return. It's not fair... Many ARMYs didn't even receive them, an imagine what the members will think when they see this. Disgusting, greedy people."

● "Please report this to HYBE through the Protect Artist page. Maybe they can track them down somehow. It's so sad. I feel bad for the BTS members. They wanted to do something nice, and it got exploited again."

● "They don't deserve thm. Why are they doing this?!!! US$114K, seriously?! A big f*ck you to those people selling their gifts. I wish those gifts could have gone to ARMYs who truly deserve them."