What is the goal? Mexican President asks South Korea for more BTS concerts

Due to the overwhelming demand for the world-renowned K-pop group BTS, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested her South Korean counterpart, President Lee Jae-myung, to help arrange additional concerts in Mexico, Reuters reports.

"Everyone wants to go," Sheinbaum stated during her Monday morning press conference, adding that she had sent a diplomatic letter to the South Korean leader seeking more shows. "Around 1 million young people want to buy tickets, but only 150,000 tickets are available," the President noted.

The ticket shortage has caused prices to skyrocket. The consumer protection agency has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster and plans to sanction resale platforms such as StubHub and Viagogo for "abusive and unfair practices."

The price gap is staggering: while the cheapest official ticket on Ticketmaster was 1,800 pesos (approx. 52,322 KZT), resellers are starting their prices at 11,300 pesos (328,471+ KZT). Similarly, while VIP seats were officially priced at 17,800 pesos (518,000 KZT), they have reached as high as 92,100 pesos (over 2,678,000 KZT) on resale platforms.

In response, Mexican authorities have begun developing new regulations to strictly oversee ticket sales for major events. The President’s intervention stands as a rare instance where culture and international diplomacy intersect at such a high level.