SEOUL -- Wehome (wehome.me), Korea’s leading home-sharing platform, announced the successful completion of K-POPSTAY BUSAN 2026, a special home-sharing project organized in cooperation with Busan Metropolitan City for global ARMY visitors attending the BTS World Tour concert in Busan.

The project connected global ARMY fans with local ARMY and Busan citizen hosts, providing free accommodation, cultural exchange opportunities, and authentic K-lifestyle experiences. More than simply solving lodging shortages, K-POPSTAY demonstrated a new model of fan culture that connects people, communities, and visitors through home sharing.

A total of 63 hosts applied to participate, with 35 hosts ultimately joining the program. Among them, 27 hosts actually welcomed guests into their homes. Despite being organized in less than two weeks, Busan citizens and ARMY hosts voluntarily opened their homes and helped address the accommodation shortage caused by the BTS concerts.

Interest from the global ARMY was overwhelming. A total of 187 applications representing 298 people were received, resulting in 37 confirmed stays and 65 guests from more than 15 countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, France, the United States, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Colombia, and Ukraine.

All operations were managed through the Wehome platform. Combining AI-assisted matching with manual review, Wehome completed more than 150 host-guest matching processes, carefully considering nationality, gender, accommodation preferences, and opportunities for cultural exchange.

The success of K-POPSTAY was made possible largely by the voluntary participation and hospitality of Busan citizens and ARMY hosts. Although launched under an extremely tight schedule and representing a rare fan community-based home sharing model, many hosts enthusiastically opened their homes to welcome fellow ARMY from around the world.

Many local ARMY hosts did more than provide free accommodation. They attended concerts together with their guests, shared meals, and talked about BTS and K-POP, creating unforgettable memories and friendships beyond language and nationality. Citizen hosts also offered transportation assistance, meals, and sightseeing guidance, providing warm hospitality to international visitors.

Lee Jeong-ja, Chairwoman of Olivia Gallery and a citizen host in Busan, said, “It was truly rewarding to invite ARMY from around the world into my home and spend time together. I am grateful to Busan Metropolitan City and Wehome for giving me the opportunity to meet wonderful people and introduce them to Busan.”

One international guest who stayed with a local ARMY family shared, “It was touching to live together like family as fellow ARMY. I sincerely appreciate the warm hospitality of my Busan ARMY family. If a BTS concert is held in my city someday, I would love to return the kindness and welcome they showed me.”

Beyond accommodation, K-POPSTAY became a platform for friendship and cultural exchange.

Together with Busan Metropolitan City and Genabelle, Wehome prepared special K-POPSTAY Gift Bottari welcome packages containing K-beauty products and souvenirs. Guests also received “Borahae Hangul” sticker sets and participated in the Borahae Hangul Challenge, learning Hangul and experiencing Korean culture in a fun and interactive way.

Participants also joined a “Jjimjilbang Treasure Hunt,” exploring one of Korea’s most beloved everyday cultural spaces while enjoying unique gifts and activities. These experiences transformed a concert trip into a deeper K-lifestyle journey.

The success of K-POPSTAY BUSAN 2026 was made possible through collaboration among various organizations and communities. VISITKOREA by the Korea Tourism Organization helped promote the project globally and recruit international guests. Busan Civic Organizations supported host recruitment and community engagement. Busan Metropolitan City provided administrative support and promotion, while Wehome offered platform operations, guest verification, multilingual support, and safety management. Domestic ARMY communities and volunteers contributed ideas and support, and partner companies including Genabelle sponsored K-beauty products and souvenirs.

This public-private-community collaboration demonstrated a new tourism model that can be applied to future K-POP concerts and international events.

More importantly, K-POPSTAY presented an alternative solution to recurring accommodation shortages and soaring hotel prices surrounding major K-POP events. By utilizing existing residential spaces, the project created a win-win structure that benefited visitors, local communities, and cultural exchange.

Jo SanKu, CEO of Wehome, said, “K-POPSTAY represents a unique fan community-based home sharing model where global ARMY, local ARMY, and citizens come together to create memories and friendships. I was deeply moved by the warmth and generosity shown by Busan residents and ARMY hosts.”

He added, “This project demonstrated how K-POP events can connect with local communities. We hope K-POPSTAY will evolve into a new Korean Wave culture and a global K-lifestyle platform where fans can meet, connect, and experience Korea together.”

K-POPSTAY BUSAN 2026 showed that the process of sharing homes, meals, concerts, and friendships can itself become a new form of tourism content.

Ultimately, K-POPSTAY proved that when homes, people, and fandom come together, they can create a new K-lifestyle culture that connects the world.