BTS buzz lights up Gwanghwamun — and ad prices

A BTS-related video is displayed on a digital billboard at Gwanghwamun Square on Thursday in Seoul, two days ahead of the group’s concert. (Yonhap)

As BTS gears up for its Saturday concert, central Seoul’s Gwanghwamun is getting a glow-up — not just in lights, but in advertising buzz.

Fan-funded billboards, brand campaigns and album teasers are flooding the district’s giant digital screens, turning the historic square into a high-impact showcase of K-pop fandom and commercial firepower.

The surge is already pushing up prices. At the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, wrapping its iconic outdoor staircase for two weeks now costs about 120 million won ($80,000) — roughly double the usual rate, according to industry sources.

“Going into BTS month, there has definitely been more advertising,” one industry official said. “Sejong didn’t previously see this as a major revenue source, but the BTS effect has clearly changed that.”

The staircase was recently wrapped with visuals promoting BTS’ upcoming album — featuring its logo, title and release date — before switching to concert-related content by Netflix.

Elsewhere, however, pricing remains relatively stable. Most large-format digital billboards around Gwanghwamun still range between 60 million won and 120 million won per month for standard packages.

Promotional messages for BTS’s comeback concert are displayed on the steps of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Still, the shift in atmosphere is unmistakable.

With daily foot traffic estimated at around 1 million, Gwanghwamun is increasingly emerging as a stage not just for politics and history, but for culture, fandom and high-value advertising.

During the concert period, screens across key buildings — including Koreana Hotel, KT Gwanghwamun Building West, the Sejong Center, Dajung Building and the Dong-A Media Center — are set to run BTS-related content. Netflix, which holds the broadcast rights, has secured slots to screen related documentary footage, though the concert itself will not be shown live.

The moment also reflects a broader transformation of the area. In 2024, Gwanghwamun was designated a special outdoor advertising zone, easing regulations on billboard size, format and installation.

Building on that, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the “Gwanghwamun Square” project last year to install large digital displays across nine buildings facing the square.

The Koreana Hotel, KT building, Dong-A Ilbo headquarters and Ilmin Museum of Art are among the sites that have already added new digital screens under the initiative.