K-pop superstars BTS 'fly economy while management enjoy first-class' (2024)

South Korean boy band BTS are arguably the biggest pop act in the world today.

But despite their fame and fortune, the group still fly in the economy class from time to time.

American radio host Robin Quivers said on The Howard Stern Show this week she recently spotted the Dynamite hitmakers catching an economy flight.

'I told you I met [BTS] on a plane. They were very sweet,' Quivers told her co-host Howard Stern.

'Nobody treats them like stars. Like, these are superstars! They stood in line at the security line and checked in, and most of the kids were back in the regular coach section,' she added.

'They did a lottery and one kid won the first-class seat, so he was up there with management.'

The Stern segment was played on Australia's The Kyle and Jackie O Showon Friday, and hostsKyle Sandilands andJackie 'O' Henderson were shocked to learn the members of BTS were flying inthe budget section of the plane.

'They really know how to keep them suppressed,' commented Sandilands.

'So management didn't even give up their seat for the star?' Henderson asked.

'This feels very wrong,' added Sandilands. 'A lot of these managers, they think they're in charge and maybe they are... It's from South Korea, right?'

Despite the BTS boys being busted flying budget, they generally travel on their own private plane to avoid being hounded by fans.

'We also want to take a [regular] plane, but when we have long-distance or short-distance flights, some people find out in advance [which plane] we are taking and sit in the seats in front of us or next to us,' member V,whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, said in an interview translated by Soompi.

'In a situation like that, we can’t rest comfortably. It was very uncomfortable,' he added.

BTS reportedly have a net worth of at least $100million as a group, but individually each member's net worth is said to be upwards of $20million each.

V tested positive for Covid-19 last week, making him the fifth band member in three months to come down with the virus.

The 26-year-old, who is double vaccinated, only had a 'mild fever and sore throat'; however, the hashtag #GetWellSoonTaehyung was soon trending on social media.

'He is currently undergoing treatment at home while waiting for further guidelines from the health care authorities,' a statement from his label Big Hit read.

The label said V was around other members of his band prior to the positive test result, but everyone was masked and socially distancing.

The rest of the group weren't symptomatic and they have all since tested negative.

'The company places the artists' health as our top priority and we will do everything we can to aid V in his speedy recovery,' Big Hit said.

'We will also diligently cooperate with the requests and guidelines of the healthcare authorities.'