Mexico's President Appeals to Seoul for Additional BTS Concert Dates

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested additional BTS concert dates from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, underscoring the significant economic and cultural influence of K-pop entertainment in Latin America's second-largest economy.The diplomatic appeal follows an unprecedented ticket shortage for the South Korean septet's Mexico City shows, where approximately one million fans competed for just 150,000 available seats across three May performances. Tickets sold out within 40 minutes through official channels, according to local media reports."I wrote a letter to the [president] of Korea... I still haven't received the answer, but let's hope it's positive," Sheinbaum stated during a Monday press briefing, highlighting the unusual intersection of entertainment commerce and international relations.The ticketing frenzy has exposed significant market irregularities within Mexico's live entertainment sector. While official Ticketmaster prices ranged from 1,800 to 17,800 pesos ($100-$1,030), secondary market platforms offered identical tickets for 11,300 to 92,100 pesos, representing markups exceeding 400% in some cases.Mexico's consumer protection agency has sanctioned resale platforms StubHub and Viagogo for "abusive and disloyal practices," launching investigations into dynamic pricing mechanisms that have drawn criticism from both officials and consumers.The controversy reflects K-pop's substantial economic footprint in Mexico, which Spotify identifies as the genre's fifth-largest global market. Streaming data indicates K-pop consumption has surged over 500% in Mexico during the past five years, representing a significant shift in regional entertainment preferences.BTS's comeback tour, following a four-year hiatus during which members completed mandatory South Korean military service, is projected to generate over $1 billion in revenue across concerts, merchandise, licensing, and streaming platforms, according to Billboard estimates.The 79-date global tour commences April 9 in South Korea's Goyang Stadium before traversing Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Seoul's presidential office and foreign ministry have declined to comment on Mexico's request, according to South Korean media outlets.Source: BBC News