A giant media display on the exterior wall of the Grand Josun Hotel in front of Haeundae Beach in Busan shows an image of BTS member V ahead of the group's upcoming concerts. [Yonhap]
A giant media display on the exterior wall of the Grand Josun Hotel in front of Haeundae Beach in Busan shows an image of BTS member V ahead of the group's upcoming concerts. [Yonhap]

Busan's Beomeosa Temple has been bathed in purple.

According to the city of Busan, Beomeosa and other Buddhist temples in the city are offering free temple stays to foreign tourists during the "BTS World Tour IN Busan" concerts, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

The initiative serves as an alternative to local accommodations, where prices have surged sharply in anticipation of the BTS concerts.

Beomeosa is hosting foreign tourists — 20 guests sharing rooms in pairs — free of charge from Thursday through Sunday, providing lodging and temple cuisine over a four-day, three-night stay.

Advance applications drew 918 entries for the 20 spots, a competition ratio of 45 to 1. The temple said more than 10 overseas fans from countries including France, the Philippines, Chile, Japan, Poland, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Peru are currently staying on the grounds.

The temple has also prepared a range of hands-on programs for ARMY, the BTS fandom.

On Thursday, the first day of the stay, guests received a guided tour of the temple and took part in a workshop making purple lotus LED lanterns — in BTS's signature color — to bring to the concerts.

For fans returning late after the evening performances, a midnight vegetarian ramyun party will be held from 11 p.m. Guests receive a flexible schedule on concert days to accommodate individual travel times. A tea ceremony with a monk, titled "Monk and ARMY Tea Talk," is set for 8:30 a.m. Sunday, the final day of the stay.

Meals prepared by the monks include lotus-leaf rice, tteokbokki and japchae. The temple is also handing out packed hansik desserts — including homemade yakgwa — for guests to take along when they head out.

The temple's first floor houses a free snack lounge and a BTS music listening space called "BTS Spirit," both open to guests at any time. A dedicated "ARMY Welcome Photo Zone" at the temple entrance offers visitors additional amenities and activities.

Beyond Beomeosa, Seonamsa Temple is providing accommodations for 15 guests across six rooms from Thursday through Saturday, while Hongbeopsa Temple is hosting 69 guests in 23 rooms from Friday through Sunday.

Meanwhile, BTS will perform at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Friday and Saturday as part of the "BTS World Tour IN Busan." Busan is the hometown of members Jungkook and Jimin, which is understood to have been a factor in its selection as the concert city for the group's comeback.


jshan@heraldcorp.com