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| ▲ This photo provided by Hybe shows "Jin Ramen" booth set up at BTS FESTA. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- Last week, the “BTS FESTA” was held at KINTEX in Goyang City to mark the anniversary of BTS’s debut. At the two-day event, six brands — including Ottogi, Laneige, Photism, hy, Paldo, and Damteo — set up promotional booths to showcase their products.
Over the two days, approximately 60,000 BTS fans, known as “ARMY,” visited the venue and had the chance to sample and experience the brands’ products and services firsthand.
One fan from Malaysia commented, “I used to think Korean ramen was just spicy, but the cheese flavor was rich and really nice. I’m planning to buy some to take home.”
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| ▲ ARMY, the official fan club of K-pop superband BTS, gathers in front of the Seoul headquarters of Hybe in Yongsan on June 10, 2025, with the banner "We Are Back," to celebrate the military discharge of BTS' RM and V. Photo courtesy of ARMY. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
As K-pop’s global popularity continues to grow, more well-known brands are actively reaching out to loyal fanbases. Beyond simply hiring idol stars as advertising models, these companies are increasingly organizing offline collaborative events to attract international fans.
According to the music industry on Friday, Laneige — a brand for which BTS member Jin serves as a model — gave out approximately 65,000 product samples at its booth during “BTS FESTA.” At the “Jin Ramen” booth, where Jin is also the model, around 4,000 domestic and international fans participated in a ramen-tasting event.
Similarly, more than 20 brands participated in “B-DAY PARTY,” a large-scale celebration held from May 23–25 at Banpo Hangang Park and Jamsugyo in Seoul, marking the 10th anniversary of SEVENTEEN’s debut. Participating brands included CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo, NARS Cosmetics, Jeju Samdasoo, Neogen, Mogu Mogu, Banila Co, Snickers, Amorepacific, Kellogg’s, and more.
The event attracted a total of about 352,000 visitors over three days. The 12 brand booths on-site distributed around 150,000 products to fans.
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| ▲ This photo provided by Hybe shows Cosmetics brand booth set up at SEVENTEEN's "B-DAY PARTY." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The influential power of K-pop stars in promoting consumer brands is also evident in the case of G-Dragon. On June 13, he arrived at a highball launch event in a Tesla Cybertruck to promote the drink he co-developed with liquor company Brewguru under his fashion label “PEACEMINUSONE.” A video of his arrival posted on X (formerly Twitter) was retweeted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, sparking widespread attention.
G-Dragon’s “Black Highball,” released in April, sold out its initial batch of 880,000 cans within three days. His follow-up, “Red Highball,” launched in May, is being sold in limited quantities of 8,888 cans per day at the CU Olympic Park branch, maintaining strong popularity.
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| ▲ This photo provided by Galaxy Corporation shows K-pop singer G-Dragon attending a launch event for a new highball product. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Collaborations between K-pop stars and consumer brands are also trending in the form of “pop-up stores.” For instance, cosmetics brand Jung Saem Mool recently opened a pop-up store in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong featuring a photo zone themed after the group TWS, who are also models for the brand. P1Harmony partnered with a flea market to host a pop-up store in Mangwon-dong last month, offering various merchandise.
The range of products tied to K-pop collaborations has also expanded beyond the usual categories like food, beverages, cosmetics, and fashion. Airbnb, for example, planned an offline event where SEVENTEEN members personally hosted fans, and themed experiences featuring SEVENTEEN are being offered in major cities worldwide.
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky stated in a press conference on June 4, “The collaboration with SEVENTEEN last year was so popular that we’re hoping to work together again. The partnership with SEVENTEEN is truly sensational, and we’re looking to expand it moving forward.”
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| ▲ Brian Chesky (6th from R), co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, poses with K-pop boy group Seventeen during a photo session to mark the launch of the "Seventeen Airbnb Experience" in Seoul on June 4, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Industry insiders believe these collaborations boost global visibility and sales for both K-pop stars and brands. Fans can enjoy immersive offline experiences beyond digital content like music and albums, while agencies and companies can increase brand loyalty and fan engagement.
According to a 2022 report by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, a $100 million increase in Korean content exports is linked to an additional $180 million increase in consumer goods exports, such as cosmetics and food.
An industry insider noted, “K-pop fans passionately support not just music, albums, and merchandise but also the brands that collaborate with their favorite artists. Attracting these fans has become a key success metric for marketing strategies across various industries, not just entertainment.”
A representative from HYBE, the agency of BTS and SEVENTEEN, said, “We will continue to deliver new and creative experiences to global audiences while providing differentiated partnerships to companies and brands — creating a win-win synergy.”
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