BTS brings K-pop frenzy to Mexico
MEXICO CITY — It’s not often that a boy band becomes a matter of international diplomacy.
But after more than a million K-pop fans in Mexico tried and failed to secure tickets to a three-night showcase by popular band BTS, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sent a letter to her counterpart in South Korea, requesting more concert dates.
The Korean president responded with an apology and said he was investigating the matter, but BTS was unable to hold more shows in Mexico during their world tour.
This week, ahead of the group’s shows at Mexico City’s GNP Serguros Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sheinbaum invited seven of its members to the National Palace; this is an honor usually reserved for visiting diplomats. They turned out perfectly with their well-designed suits and stylish hair.
K-pop fans are known for their craziness. This is especially true for Mexico City, which is ranked No. 1.
A crowd of BTS fans arrives outside the GNP Seguros Stadium ahead of the band’s concert in Mexico City on Thursday. Whether they had tickets or not, many people gathered to enjoy the atmosphere and music.
City for BTS broadcasts on Spotify.
1. BTS fans gather to dance in front of Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on Thursday, May 7, 2026. 2. A father and his daughter dance and sing in front of Estadio GNP Seguros during a BTS concert in Mexico City, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (Alejandra Rajal/For The Times)
The visit to the National Palace was announced only five hours in advance. Still, an estimated 50,000 fans managed to fill the Zócalo, Mexico City’s central square, in time to see the president and pop stars waving from the balcony.
“I love you, I adore you. Thank you so much!” singer Kim Nam-joon said in halting Spanish as a cacophony of screams rose from the crowd.
Sheinbaum received more applause when he announced that he was inviting the band to play Mexico again in 2027. How’s this for pop music populism?
Photographer Alejandra Rajal documented the group’s visit to Mexico, which included thousands of members of the ARMY, known as the BTS fanbase, who marched outside the stadium despite not having entrance tickets.
Fans watch from a high street near GNP Seguros Stadium during a BTS concert in Mexico City on Thursday.
Rosa Gabriela Hernández Flores, 22, had traveled from the northern state of Sinaloa in hopes of finding a way in. His heart sank when he realized scalpers were selling it for about $3,500 per seat.
But sadness and jealousy turned to joy when he realized he had found a place where he could hear some of the music coming from inside and see the corner of a huge screen on which the band’s movements were projected.
12-year-old Zoe Castro, who has been a BTS fan since the age of 6, is trying to buy tickets online outside.
He and a group of fans sang along to hit songs like “MIC Drop” and “Swim.”
“I cried, I laughed, I screamed; I did it all,” Hernández said. “Those moments I spent with them felt magical.”
