May 8, 2026
SEOUL – BTS met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ahead of its concerts in Mexico City, highlighting the group’s massive popularity and cultural influence in the country.
During her regular morning press briefing, Sheinbaum confirmed to local press that BTS would visit the presidential office Wednesday and greet citizens from the National Palace’s open balcony. She described BTS as a band that “always delivers messages of friendship, peace and love.”
The Mexican government also honored the group as “distinguished visitors,” presenting BTS with a commemorative plaque recognizing its influence on Mexican youth and its messages of respect, empathy, diversity and peace.
The members briefly greeted roughly 50,000 fans gathered at Zolaco Square outside the National Palace, with leader RM expressing gratitude to Mexican fans for the warm welcome ahead of the group’s upcoming concerts.
“Thank you so much for having us. We’re really looking forward to tomorrow’s concert. Let’s have fun together,” he said, adding in Spanish, “I love you, I adore you.”
V also addressed fans in Spanish, telling the crowd that both he and the group had “missed Mexico” and praising the energy of local fans.
“The energy here is incredible,” V said. “Thank you so much for loving us.”
Following the meeting, Sheinbaum shared photos of the visit on social media, writing that she was “happy to welcome the group most loved by Mexican youth.” She added that BTS’ music and values help connect Mexico and South Korea while promoting messages of peace and inclusion.
The meeting took place ahead of BTS’ “Arirang” world tour concerts at Estadio GNP Seguros, scheduled for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. All three shows sold out shortly after tickets went on sale.
When ticket sales opened in January, Sheinbaum had previously described BTS’ upcoming Mexico City concerts as a “historic moment,” emphasizing how long Mexican fans had waited for their shows.
The group’s visit is expected to generate a significant economic impact. According to the Mexico City Chamber of Commerce, the concerts are projected to create approximately $107.5 million in economic activity.
Streaming data also reflects BTS’ popularity in Mexico.
According to figures released last year by Spotify, Mexico ranked as the fifth-largest K-pop streaming market globally. Within the market, BTS was the most-streamed K-pop artist among local listeners. The group’s 2020 album “Map of the Soul: 7” was named the most-streamed K-pop album in Mexico, while eight of BTS’ releases occupied the top 10 spots on the chart.
Its 2020 hit “Dynamite” was also ranked the most-streamed K-pop song in Mexico since the genre’s global boom. Seven of the top 10 songs on the same chart were BTS tracks.
The group is currently on its “Arirang” world tour in North America, spanning 31 shows across 12 cities. Following three shows at Mexico City, the group is slated to hold five more shows in Stanford, California, and Las Vegas before returning to Busan for a two-day concert in June.