{"id":721005,"date":"2026-07-31T13:56:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/721005\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T13:56:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T13:56:08","slug":"bts-are-back-return-of-k-pop-superstars-sparks-us-economic-boom-bts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/721005\/","title":{"rendered":"BTS are back: return of K-pop superstars sparks US economic boom | BTS"},"content":{"rendered":"

BTS\u2019s \u201cArmy\u201d fanbase is descending on New York<\/a> this weekend as the K-pop supergroup continues their first world tour after a four-year hiatus, sparking an economic boom wherever they land.<\/p>\n

After shows in South Korea and Europe, the group are back in North America, with 14 shows in six US cities in August and September.<\/p>\n

Following the rollout of BTS\u2019s sixth album, Arirang, in March, fans have proved they are willing to spend. In Las Vegas, concertgoers who attended four sold-out shows in May generated an estimated $340m in economic activity, with events<\/a> at huge hotels on the strip and at tiny Chinatown cafes.<\/p>\n

HYBE, the group\u2019s label, has partnered with local businesses and cultural centers for the \u201cBTS The City \u2013 Arirang\u201d project in select cities, offering exclusive BTS<\/a> programming for concertgoers.<\/p>\n

Ahead of two concerts at New Jersey\u2019s MetLife Stadium on 1 and 2 August, fans can follow a map<\/a> of activities, landmarks and eateries that celebrate the group.<\/p>\n

Manhattan\u2019s Koreatown is bracing for thousands of fans. The economic impact of BTS concertgoers<\/a> is expected to match that of soccer fans who crowded MetLife Stadium for the World Cup final \u2013 which included a BTS performance \u2013 a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

BTS will \u201ceasily compare [to] or even exceed Fifa\u2019s economic impact just on average spending\u201d, said Michael Mariano, head of economic development at Tourism Economics.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s return has been a boon for HYBE, which reported<\/a> a record-high revenue of $993m this past quarter.<\/p>\n

BTS merchandise at a pop-up store in Seoul. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji\/Reuters<\/p>\n

The Korean Cultural Center New York will serve as the hub for fan activities. Participants who nabbed a coveted reservation can try on K-beauty products, sample desserts from Tous les Jours, a South Korean bakery chain, and customize the light sticks they\u2019ll bring to the concert, known as \u201cArmy bombs\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cK-pop can serve as a gateway to learning the Korean language and discovering Korean beauty, food, technology, tourism and other aspects of Korean culture,\u201d said Bora Yoon, visual arts manager at the center.<\/p>\n

The Arte Museum, which houses large-scale digital art, is hosting a special BTS exhibit that will feature music and digital art celebrating the group\u2019s music. The museum expects a high demand for the exhibit, which will immerse BTS fans in \u201call five senses\u201d, said Sang Jin Lee, head of the creative team and vice-president of d\u2019strict, a creative design company that owns the Arte Museum.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about sharing our culture, great heritage and Korean contemporary digital art through the lens of BTS, using an enduring folk song that is continually reinterpreted by every generation,\u201d Lee said in Korean, referring to Arirang, the centuries-old folk song that inspired the name of BTS\u2019s new album.<\/p>\n

BTS fans pose for pictures as they gather at HMV on Oxford Street in London. Photograph: Jack Taylor\/Reuters<\/p>\n

New Wonjo, the oldest Korean barbecue restaurant in New York, is also featured on the map, and plans to serve a special menu inspired by the members of BTS and the foods they miss most on tour, including kimchi fried rice, pork belly and jajangmyeon, or black bean noodles.<\/p>\n

The menu was developed \u201cwith intention, and is rooted in Korean culture, rather than just pasting \u2018BTS\u2019 on a regular menu item\u201d, said Jacob Baik, art director of New Wonjo. \u201cWe hope that some guests who might initially visit because of the \u2018BTS The City\u2019 project leave with a genuine interest in the restaurant, the food and Korean culture more broadly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The map also features bingsu, a type of South Korean shaved ice dessert, offered by Seoul Bingsu \u2013 a pop-up version of Seoul-based Tokyo Bingsu, known for its tomato flavor of the dessert. For its limited 10-day New York run, Seoul Bingsu will offer special bookmarks, pins and stickers for those who order from its special Arirang menu.<\/p>\n

Ara Go, the Seoul-based owner of Seoul Bingsu, said BTS \u201chas truly helped introduce Korean culture to the world\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood and desserts are a huge part of Korean culture, and I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to promote not only our food but our country with a broader audience,\u201d Go said in Korean.<\/p>\n

BTS fans in New York. Photograph: JNI\/Star Max\/GC Images<\/p>\n

Before the spot\u2019s collaboration with BTS, Angela May, 18, had never heard of bingsu. May, a BTS fan for nearly six years, traveled to Manhattan from New Jersey<\/a> to try it.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust having BTS written on the menu or the window will bring a lot of attention to the place,\u201d May said.<\/p>\n

Asli Penaeo, 22, grew up in New York and has been a fan for seven years, yet she has never been to most of the collaborating restaurants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis event is finally giving me a chance to go to some of these restaurants, try new items, but also make new memories with fellow Army [fans],\u201d she said, sipping on a BTS-branded Tous Les Jours strawberry lemonade.<\/p>\n

Sunmi Lee, 40, an interior designer, said she was considering taking a BTS-themed double-decker bus tour to visit New York landmarks \u2013 even though she lives in the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about celebrating Korean culture,\u201d she said. \u201cTrying authentic local spots, and feeling connected to something bigger than just a concert.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BTS\u2019s \u201cArmy\u201d fanbase is descending on New York this weekend as the K-pop supergroup continues their first world…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":721006,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[96,128,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-721005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=721005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/721006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=721005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=721005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=721005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}