The Rising Cost of K-pop Concerts in the Past Decade: Fangirling or Paying Rent?

K-pop has grown into a billion-dollar industry, and with that growth comes a visible spike in concert ticket prices. As shown in the chart above, the average ticket price for a top-tier K-pop concert has more than doubled over the past decade from ₩88,000 in 2015 to ₩190,000 in 2025.

This doesn’t just impact local fans. For those traveling from other regions or countries, transportation, accommodation, and merchandise can push the total cost well over ₩300,000 to ₩400,000 per concert day.

The debate took off when fans reacted to artists urging audiences to “put down their phones and enjoy the moment.” For many, this request feels detached from reality, “You earn billions from a few shows. We pay rent-level prices just to be here. Let us film.”

The dissonance between idol privilege and fan sacrifice became a lightning rod for discussions about accessibility and class division within fandom.

With fans attending multiple shows, especially two-day concert series in Seoul, many find themselves spending ₩400,000 or more—a number that rivals monthly rent in suburban Korea.

This gave rise to the now-iconic phrase: “Concert tickets for two days = Rent.”

The rising cost of fangirling isn’t just a meme; it highlights broader economic pressures:

• Widening income inequality among fans
• The commercialization of emotional connection
• A growing tension between fan loyalty and corporate monetization

A lively discussion recently broke out on the popular Korean forum TheQoo, where fans admitted that while they know concerts are pricey, they still can’t resist attending.

• I’m older now and don’t have the stamina I used to, so I don’t go to fan events anymore, using the excuse that I live in the provinces — but concerts are expensive yet hard to skip.
• Spending money on a hobby isn’t a big deal…
• The reason I go for cost-effective fangirling.
• It’s pricey, but I can’t not go… Maybe going to just one concert per tour is fine — it’s not like they have concerts all year round. I’d rather go than regret not going.
• But I still have fun… Instead of obsessing over going to everything, maybe I should just go to what I enjoy…ㅠ

While fans remain deeply devoted, the pressure to keep up with rising concert costs is pushing many to their financial limits. As K-pop globalizes further, this issue will only intensify. Concerts used to be a celebration. For many now, they’re a financial gamble.