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Is buying BTS 'Proof' Collector's Edition worth it? Album priced at $275, fans say 'exploitation'

Fans claim that HYBE is trying to make a profit out of fans' love for BTS knowing that ARMYs will buy the merch no matter how high the price

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: With BTS' global domination and the international spread of the Korean wave, K-pop has given South Korea a major soft power. Now, as the seven-member boy group from HYBE gets more and more attention by the day, fans are claiming that the people in power around the boys have started exploiting fans due to their love for BTS. It started with BTS' first-ever free concert being held in Busan.

At first, fans were thrilled by the idea of attending a free concert only for them to later realized that the hotel stay prices in the city were hiked more than 9 times the original rates around the days of BTS' show for '2030 Busan World Expo'. Now, HYBE has also tried their hand at something similar as they have launched BTS' new album, 'Proof' with a new collector's edition that is priced at a whopping 297,000 KRW ($220), without shipping charges, per unit. 

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HYBE launches BTS 'Proof' Collector's Edition at $220 per unit

On August 30, HYBE announced that BTS' most recent anthology album, 'Proof', will be released in a special collector's edition. The album was released in June of 2022 to commemorate BTS' nine years in the K-pop industry. Then, 'Proof' had two versions, the Set Version Set was priced at 94,000 KRW ($69) whereas the Standart Version and Compact Version were priced at 68,600 KRW ($51) and 25,000 KRW ($17) respectively. 

Despite having two versions of the same album, now, HYBE has announced a collector's edition for 'Proof,' which will include different merchandise like a premium photo, poster, AR card, 3D card along with the 3 CDs. The final price of the album can go as high as $400 depending on the location of the fan ordering the album as the Collector's Version of 'Proof' is priced at 297,000 KRW (220 USD).

With this huge jump in the price for the new version, HYBE further shocked fans by revealing that the limited edition collector's version of 'Proof' will not be contributing to the boy group's album sales on any chart.

'HYBE exploits the BTS brand'

Now, fans of BTS are sharing how everyone around the boy group is trying to exploit fans only because of ARMYs' love and dedication for the boy group. One fan said, "What pisses me off is that this is still going to sell out. The price is absolutely insane and it’s honestly starting to feel unethical. And nothing is going to change if they keep making those sales."

Another fan said, "Hybe exploit the bts brand for its business the company doesn't care about the music they just want to taken the fans' money each person buys and does with their money what they want, the problem is the company that takes advantage to sell something for an unreasonable price."

One more fan joked, "Who sold the house?” armys with their bts proof collector’s album." Another fan said, "I think this is too much for selling an album/merch with this price not even have their handwritten signature or what to be THAT premium. buying bts vip concert tix is MUCH worth it they’re so crazy just bcs our boys have name, they wanna exploit the fans money this bad."

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