Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to help arrange more BTS concerts in Mexico amid huge demand for the K-pop band. This follows the announcement of BTS's comeback album 'Arirang' and world tour. Mexico, one of K-pop's largest fan bases, sees around 1 million young people seeking tickets, but only 150,000 are available.
At her daily morning press conference in Mexico City on Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed she had sent a diplomatic letter to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, stating, "Everyone wants to go." BTS, on hiatus since 2022 for mandatory military service, will release their first new album in three years, 'Arirang', on March 20, followed by a world tour starting April 9 in Goyang, South Korea. The tour, the largest in K-pop history, spans 34 cities with 79 shows and features a 360-degree stage for an immersive fan experience.
Tickets for 41 concerts in North America and Europe sold out immediately after going on sale Saturday, with additional shows added in Tampa, Stanford, and Las Vegas due to overwhelming demand, according to BigHit Music. In Mexico, a key K-pop fan base, only three concerts are scheduled from May 7 to 10 at Mexico City's GNP Seguros Stadium, offering 150,000 tickets amid demand from around 1 million young people. Prices on Ticketmaster ranged from 1,800 pesos (about $100) to 17,800 pesos (about $1,030) for VIP, but resale platforms like StubHub and Viagogo listed them from 11,300 to 92,100 pesos (over $5,300).
Mexico's consumer watchdog has launched a probe into Ticketmaster and is sanctioning resale sites for "abusive and disloyal practices," planning new guidelines for ticket sales. This echoes a 2022 controversy where Ticketmaster refunded $1 million after fans were denied entry to a Bad Bunny concert. BTS will hold a comeback concert at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on March 21. The request highlights K-pop's global cultural impact and potential for sports diplomacy-like cultural exchanges.
