In an unprecedented diplomatic move, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has personally intervened in the global frenzy surrounding K-pop supergroup BTS’s highly anticipated comeback tour. The presidential appeal comes after tickets for the band’s three scheduled shows in Mexico City sold out within 40 minutes, leaving approximately a million young fans competing for just 150,000 available seats.
The situation has escalated beyond typical concert excitement, with Mexico’s consumer protection authority sanctioning resale platforms StubHub and Viagogo for what it terms ‘abusive and disloyal practices.’ According to Reuters data, while official prices on Ticketmaster ranged from $100 to $1,030, resale platforms were offering tickets at massively inflated prices ranging from $650 to $5,300.
President Sheinbaum revealed on Monday that she had written directly to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung requesting additional shows, though she acknowledged receiving no response yet. The request follows concert promoter Ocesa’s assessment that BTS’s packed 79-date global itinerary makes additional shows unfeasible.
The massive demand underscores BTS’s extraordinary popularity in Mexico, which Spotify ranks as the fifth-largest K-pop market globally. Streaming of the genre has grown over 500% in the country during the past five years.
The upcoming tour marks the septet’s return after a four-year hiatus during which members pursued solo projects and completed mandatory military service. Beginning April 9th in Goyang Stadium, South Korea, the global tour is projected by Billboard to generate over $1 billion across concert revenue, merchandise, licensing, and streaming.
South Korea’s presidential office and foreign ministry have maintained silence regarding the diplomatic appeal, according to local media reports.