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Is BTS' New Year's Eve concert featuring GFRIEND and others in Ilsan expensive? Here's what fans think

Tickets for the concert range from $138 to $246 and some fans seem to think this is too much for a multi-artist concert. Others seem to think the price is a fair one

On Thursday, November 12, Big Hit Entertainment Co., a South Korean entertainment company, in an announcement via their fan community platform, Weverse, announced that they would be hosting a New Year’s Eve concert with several artists under the Big Hit roster. So far, it is scheduled to be a proper offline concert. As per reports, seating at the offline venue will be limited and spaced far apart according to government guidelines. 

Reports also mentioned that in the case the concert is canceled due to further government regulations, then the concert would be live-streamed online, and refunds for the offline tickets would be made. According to Soompi, a K-pop news portal, the lineup for the concert includes BTS, Lee Hyun, and BUMZU, NU’EST, ENHYPEN, GFRIEND, and TXT.

While fans are excited to be getting an opportunity to finally see their favorite K-pop idols live in concert after a while -- the coronavirus pandemic made real live concerts impossible for a while -- many are complaining about the inordinately expensive ticket prices. 

As per releases by Big Hit, there are three available ticket packages on sale. One has to pay 154,000 KRW (the Korean Republic won) which is $138.15 for the base “Live Package”. The “Connect Package”, which includes the tickets for soundcheck and red carpet entrance, costs 242,000 KRW, which is $217.10. And the “We’ve Package” that includes the concert ticket, soundcheck, and red carpet entrance, and something called the “Fun Kit” costs 275,000 KRW ($246.70).

On an online forum for K-pop, fans complained about the prices. They reportedly made comments like, "Wow, they're getting greedy for money. This concert is a joint concert." One fan reportedly wrote, "They really think the fans are their ATM." Another fan said, as per reports, "Wow, they're charging that price for a joint concert? I didn't even go to an individual concert for that price." And yet another fan said, “That view is worth 150,000 KRW?”

Supposedly, fans claim that the concert venue -- Exhibition Center 1 at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province -- is a poor one. They reportedly complained that at that venue, it would be difficult for the many fans to see the concert properly.

On Twitter, one fan wrote, “Big hit has really lost it. I wouldn't pay that much just to see Bangtan for a few minutes. It's too expensive, like a concert ticket.” Another fan wrote on Twitter, “The big hit concert costs $130..... and $280 for the most expensive package ..... we are in a pandemic @BigHitEnt????” One fan wrote, “Dude I want to goooo!!! But I'll pay that only for a BTS’ concert... even this is so expensive for the online concert, big hit what that heck!!!!!! You are insane.” One fan said, “138$ for an online concert? I know there are multiple acts but that’s just insane.”

But many fans also pointed out that these prices seemed reasonable for an offline concert and not an online one. “Why are you guys comparing the price to an online ticket? This is for the offline one and its also come with limited seat. There are also many acts in this concert. Of course, it will be pricey,” said one K-pop fan on Twitter. Another fan argued, “Uhmm I just saw that those were just the offline's prices not the online one, and also a ticket being so expensive is pretty reasonable, Bighit labels have Gfriend, BTS, Enhypen Nu'est, and etc. the production cost will also be much expensive than your average concerts…” Another fan jumped in with a defense saying, “Dude if these are offline prices then these are very fair....and as for the venue do you think @BigHitEnt is stupid, that they will form a sitting arrangement in such a way that fans won't be able to watch their artists. That's stupid to even think, they know what they are doing.”