Peru BTS Fans Tree Planting: Illegal Ticket Sales Mexico CNN Report K-Eyes

CNN: “BTS Fever: How K-Pop Swept Latin America” – Sky-High Ticket Prices & Tree Planting in Peru

As BTS prepares for their comeback, CNN has published an in-depth article spotlighting K-pop’s conquest of Latin America. The article, titled “BTS fever: How K-pop swept Latin America,” covers everything from the fans’ extraordinary passion to industry analysis.

The fervor of Latin American fans, as reported by CNN, is beyond imagination. In Mexico, BTS world tour tickets were resold for as much as $9,000 USD (approximately 13 million Korean Won). This is nearly half of Mexico’s average annual salary (approximately $20,400 USD) based on purchasing power parity (PPP) statistics compiled by the OECD.

Peruvian fans have been carrying out a tree-planting campaign for years to ensure BTS has a better view from their plane. In Chile, fans are expressing anxiety because the confirmed venue for the Santiago concert in October has not yet been announced. The enthusiasm in Mexico is particularly remarkable, with Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum reportedly sending a letter to the Korean government requesting an increase in the number of BTS performances. Mexico City boasts a shopping center called ‘Friki Plaza,’ which sells Korean and Japanese related goods and food, and has become a mecca for K-pop themed events.

J-Hope also confessed to being overwhelmed by the passion of local fans at his solo concert in Mexico City last year. “It was really no joke. You made tonight special. Honestly, while performing, I thought, ‘Wow, this is Mexico. There was a reason we had to come here,'” he said.

“Singing, dancing, acting, expressiveness… the complete package”

CNN also directly interviewed Latin American fans about why they are so enthusiastic about BTS. Camila Pizarro, a 32-year-old public relations professional, said, “They sing so well, they dance amazingly, they act, and they are expressive. They are so talented. They’re the complete package as performers.”

Rolo Julios, a choreographer from Santiago, Chile, analyzed, “The rhythm, music, visuals, and performances of K-pop are all very colorful, and the dynamic group dances have garnered attention for over a decade. Recently, the number of groups has increased, making it even more mainstream.”

Social Media Fueled the Latin American K-Pop Fandom

CNN also traced the historical formation of the Latin American K-pop fandom. It began in 2002, ahead of the Korea-Japan World Cup, when Peruvian public broadcasting aired K-dramas in cooperation with the Korean embassy. Subsequently, K-dramas dubbed in Mexico spread throughout Latin America, increasing interest in Korean popular culture, which led to K-pop with the spread of social media in the 2010s.

Benjamin Min Han, a professor of Entertainment and Media Studies at the University of Georgia, analyzed that “Social media played a decisive role in leading the Latin American fandom.” The Korean music industry also began to recognize the importance of the Latin American market and started investing in earnest. In 2023, HYBE acquired the record label ‘Exile Music’ and established a Latin American subsidiary in Mexico.

From Colombia to Cuba… BTS World Tour to Land in 6 Latin American Countries

In Colombia, a competitive dance group movement centered on K-pop music is growing and forming communities, and even in Cuba, which only established official diplomatic relations with Korea in 2024, K-pop fever has spread to the point where fan-led dance events are held. The BTS world tour ‘Arirang’ is scheduled to land in six Latin American countries this fall, including Bogota, Colombia; Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mexico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

According to a 2025 report by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, K-pop ranks first among Korea’s cultural export items, and Spotify has cited Mexico as one of the largest K-pop markets.