No concerts for BTS, Twice, as venues stay closed – so K-pop fans turn to albums and online shows

K-pop acts, cut off from their fans by the coronavirus pandemic, look for ways to remain relevant without live audiences at concerts

The cancelled events, which would have made hundreds of millions of dollars, are a blow for the industry – but virtual shows and album sales offer some hope

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BTS perform on stage in Saudi Arabia. Korean entertainment companies have been left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic, as concerts and world tours by K-pop groups are cancelled. Photo: DPA

Published: 10:00pm, 27 Apr 2020Updated: 10:52pm, 27 Apr 2020

April was supposed to mark the start of the 2020 “Map of the Soul” world tour for BTS, the boy band who sold 1.3 million concert tickets last year.

The band continues to boost their profile with appearances on US television, including James Corden’s The Late Late Show , and chart-topping albums. But, as is true for all entertainers cut off from their fans by the coronavirus pandemic, BTS and other groups at the vanguard of the K-pop craze will have to make do without live audiences for the foreseeable future.

“Concerts should be a main revenue source and now there’s almost zero profit from them,” said Lee Ki-hun, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment in Seoul. “It’s also hard to tell for sure when concerts and tours will be resumed.”

The cancellations are a big blow for Big Hit Entertainment, which manages the seven-member group that was expanding its global reach with record-breaking hits and sold-out shows.

BTS performing as part of their Love Yourself World Tour.

The band have become one of the world’s top live draws, grossing US$170.3 million last year and ranking fifth, just behind Elton John, according to concert trade publication Pollstar. The outbreak also interrupted John’s final world tour.