BTS Draw Over 150,000 Fans to Three Sold-Out Shows in Lima as K-Pop Stars Make Historic First Visit to Peru

LIMA, Peru — K-pop superstars BTS performed for more than 150,000 fans over three sold-out nights in Lima, marking the group's first-ever concerts in Peru and providing a significant boost to the city's tourism and local economy.

The South Korean group played Estadio San Marcos on Oct. 7, 9 and 10 as part of its "Arirang" world tour, drawing a combined audience of about 151,500 people, according to the group's agency, Big Hit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE, as reported by South Korean media.

The Lima run was originally scheduled as two concerts, but a third show was added after overwhelming demand. That show also sold out.

A milestone for Peruvian fans

The concerts were a long-awaited moment for BTS fans in Peru, known as ARMY, who had never before seen the group perform in their country. Fans traveled from across Peru and neighboring countries to attend the shows, filling the stadium on the grounds of the National University of San Marcos, the country's oldest university, in central Lima.

The shows began at 8 p.m. local time each night.

The Lima concerts were part of the tour's Latin American leg. In April, organizers added extra dates in Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires, citing strong demand from fans in the region.

Economic boost for Lima

The concerts also generated considerable economic activity for the Peruvian capital, with government agencies and business groups forecasting significant spending even before the group arrived.

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism projected that at least 50,000 people would travel to Lima for the concerts, generating about $18.7 million in tourism-related economic impact.

The Lima Chamber of Commerce estimated that total economic activity linked to the shows could reach as much as 200 million soles.

Hotels, restaurants, transportation providers and retailers were expected to benefit from the influx of visitors, many of whom stayed in the city for multiple days around the concerts.

Ride requests soar

Demand for transportation spiked during the shows. Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, citing data from ride-hailing company Cabify, reported that ride requests to the stadium on Oct. 7, the first night of the concerts, reached as much as 15 times normal levels.

After the concert ended, requests surged to as much as 48 times the usual volume as tens of thousands of fans sought to leave the area at the same time.

K-pop's biggest tour

The "Arirang" world tour, which supports BTS' 2026 album of the same name, is the largest tour in K-pop history. It began on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, and is scheduled to continue into 2027.

When it was announced in January, the all-stadium tour included 79 dates in 34 cities, with additional shows later added in several regions. The tour marks the group's return to full-scale touring after a hiatus while its members completed mandatory military service in South Korea.

According to Billboard Boxscore figures, the tour's cumulative revenue has surpassed $500 million, as reported by South Korean media.

BTS has set multiple venue records during the tour, which has drawn large crowds across Asia, North America and Europe.

Next stops in South America

After Lima, BTS continues its Latin American run with three concerts in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 14, 16 and 17. The group is also scheduled to perform in São Paulo, Brazil, later this month, with additional dates in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Fans across the region have faced intense competition for tickets, with many shows selling out quickly after going on sale.

Global influence

BTS, made up of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, is one of the most successful music acts in the world. Since debuting in 2013, the group has topped charts globally, earned multiple Grammy nominations and become a symbol of South Korea's cultural influence abroad.

The group's tours have increasingly been viewed as major economic events for host cities, bringing large numbers of international visitors and boosting spending on travel, accommodation and entertainment.

For Lima, the three sold-out shows offered a clear demonstration of BTS' enduring popularity in Latin America, a region where K-pop has built a large and passionate fan base over the past decade.