SOUTH KOREA. The long-awaited comeback performance by blockbuster Korean boy band BTS on Saturday (21 March) in Seoul spurred not only a fan frenzy but a travel retail bonanza.
The one-hour concert kicked off a promotional tour for BTS’s new fifth full-length studio album, ‘Arirang’ (named after a Korean traditional folk song that doubles as the Republic’s unofficial national anthem).
The concert precedes an extensive world tour with BTS playing 34 regions between April 2026 and March 2027.
The free public concert drew an estimated 260,000 fans, making it the largest-ever public concert in South Korea, a vast audience bolstered by millions of viewers online.
Shinsegae Duty Free told The Moodie Davitt Report it has recorded a notable increase in foreign customer activity and sales at its Myeong-dong Seoul store.
“From March 13 to 19 – when tourist traffic peaked – the number of foreign purchasing customers rose by +32% compared to the previous week (March 6-12),” the retailer said.
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“During the same period, sales of BTS merchandise at the 11th-floor K-Pop speciality store K-WAVE surged by approximately +430%, increasing more than fivefold.
“This indicates that demand driven by K-content is rapidly converting into actual purchases.”
Shinsegae Duty Free said BTS items such as keyrings and puzzles proved especially popular, repeatedly selling out and being restocked.
“Travel-friendly items, including toothbrush and toothpaste sets as well as disposable bandages, were also sold out, while crossbody bags and plush dolls are nearing depletion,” the company added.
In addition, customers initially drawn by IP merchandise expanded their spending into other categories within the same floor. Total food sales at the curated dining space ‘Taste of Shinsegae’ increased +97%.
Notably, combined sales of Dongwon tuna gift sets – featuring BTS member Jin as a model – and Damteh kombucha products bundled with TinyTAN keyrings rose around +60%. Among these, portable kombucha products saw a sharp +94% increase, reflecting strong demand from travellers.
The fashion category also experienced strong growth. Sales of domestic and international fashion brands on the 11th floor rose +130% year-on-year.
Brands associated with BTS members saw particularly strong performances, including Calvin Klein (modelled by Jungkook), and Snow Peak (modelled by V).
“This trend highlights a ‘chain consumption’ effect, where customers drawn in by the concert begin with merchandise purchases and extend their spending across food and fashion categories within a single visit,” Shinsegae Duty Free said.
Over the concert weekend (20-21 March), including the concert day, sales at the K-WAVE Zone increased by approximately +50% compared to the previous weekend (13-14 March). BTS merchandise sales alone rose around +85%, reflecting concentrated demand driven by the event.
“We also observed a notable increase in the diversity of customer nationalities visiting the K-WAVE Zone,” the retailer noted.
“Based on purchasing customers, growth was particularly strong from the UK (+200%), the USA (+170%), Indonesia (+167%), Germany and Australia (each +100%), and Japan (+38%), demonstrating the expanding global reach of BTS fandom.” ✈
