Last Updated on August 6, 2026 by BTS 101
I just got home from two days at Metlife, seeing BTS on the Arirang tour.
THEY. WERE. AMAZING.
Now that I’m home, the number one complaint I’m seeing online from people who were there is about freebie culture. It just wasn’t the experience they expected.
I have given away thousands of BTS freebies at various events over the past six years, and always had a great experience. So I thought I’d write up some tips for those who are thinking about participating.
Why are you making freebies?
The key thing to ask yourself in advance is why. Why you are making freebies, and what you hope to get out of the experience?
There are lots of reasons to participate, and they are all completely valid. If you know in advance what you want, then you can figure out how to get it.
Here are some potential reasons, and what to do to get there.
Because it’s expected
Nope. Don’t do it.
It can feel online like everyone is making freebies, but this is totally not the case. Speaking from experience, I’d guess no more than 5% of ARMY are making and handing out freebies – if that.
At Metlife, I only saw a handful of people handing things out, and there were 50K fans there.
You do not have to make freebies to be a good ARMY.
You do not have to make freebies to receive freebies.
That said – note what I said above about how many ARMY are actually making freebies. Your chances of running into a freebie-giving ARMY are low. This means you might not receive any freebies, and you have to be okay with that.
Most people who receive a lot of freebies get there by interacting with more ARMY, not by giving something themselves – so get out there and get mingling!
Because you love crafting
Maybe you’re really into crochet / beading / 3D printing / graphic design. You’re super excited about the concerts, but they are months away. How will you channel that excitement and energy?
CRAFTING, my friends.
If this is you, craft away. But remember, the joy came from the creation.
Most likely, your freebies will go quickly, and many people won’t really open them or look at them until they get home, so you are unlikely to get much in the way of gushing, positive feedback. If your freebies are large or bulky, you probably want to give them away before going through the bag check, and this means you might get “rushed” – a crowd of ARMY reaching in and grabbing one, with little ARMY-on-ARMY interaction.
Just remember the hours of happiness that came from creating them, and trust that those ARMY who were lucky enough to get one are going to love it, treasure it, and post about it on their socials when they get home.
(Also – be a good ARMY and DO NOT RUSH FREEBIE CREATORS, OMG.)
Because you want to self-promote / gain followers / find online friends
Honestly, a terrible goal to have with freebies.
I have given away thousands, THOUSANDS, of self-made photocards and each one had my contact info on the back. I don’t think I have EVER gotten a new follow or DM from a single one. And that is okay, because that was not my goal.
I think the only reasons you might want to add your socials to your freebies are:
- you have an online BTS shop, and people might find your freebie cute enough to want to buy more like it
- you want to have some way to give your contact info to new ARMY besties you meet in line, but honestly, it’s easier to just whip out your phone and follow each other immediately
So really, if your goal is to pick up social media contacts, it’s probably not even worth it to give out freebies at all.
Because you want to get freebies yourself
Freebies are free, and they are often AWESOME – I have received some truly amazing things from creative, generous, and clever ARMY at concerts and other fan events. Who wouldn’t want that?
If this is your goal, giving away your own freebies can be a good way to find others who are also giving. But you have to be careful about when and where you exchange freebies.
For example, don’t roll up to the stadium where thousands of ARMY are milling about outside with nothing to do, and announce you have a bag of freebies. You are going to get swarmed, everything will be gone in 3 minutes, and your chances of getting anything in return are almost nil.
If your goal is to get your hands on some cool freebies, try this:
- attend offsite pre-concert events specifically for trading, such as the Armyland events; be prepared to trade freebies as a pure business transaction, not a personal interaction
- look for people with a separate bag, other than their clear stadium bag – they likely have freebies, so you can approach them and offer your own, and hope they offer back in return
- post any of your leftover freebies online and suggest a long-distance mail exchange with other ARMY (very fun!)
- go “trades only” at the stadium – I don’t love this idea, as in my opinion, Freebies Should Be Free, but I get it – the way some freebie makers have been swarmed at concerts, with people grabbing things from their hands or even reaching into their bag to pull things out, makes them want to slow things down somehow – so announcing you are “trades only” will do that, but it also will likely leave you with a lot of leftover freebies at the end of the day
Because you want to have some sweet in-person ARMY interactions
This is the best reason to make freebies, and I think the main reason most ARMY do it. They picture meeting other ARMY, having a cute conversation about how they found BTS, sharing a freebie as a delightful, welcomed treat, and maybe making a new friend.
If this is your goal, here is what I would recommend.
- Break up your freebies into smaller sets. By this I mean, put some in your bag, some in this pocket, some in that other pocket, maybe get your friend to put some in her bag, too. This can really help if you get swarmed, or if you run into (UGH) solos who ask for a specific member. It’s easy to say you are out, and move on to a new place or new people.
- Keep your freebies hidden. This is tough if you’ve made something big and bulky, but if it is possible to make your freebies small enough to fit in a pocket or your regular concert bag, do that. This keeps you in control of the where and when and who – you can approach ARMY who are in your section, or next to you in line at the bathroom, or waiting for merch, whenever you have the desire or the energy to do so.
- Approach small groups. I like to wait until I am inside the stadium to hand out freebies – this avoids the massive crowds outside where you might get swarmed. Inside, people tend to stand in friend groups and I especially like to look for anyone who is alone, as they are almost universally delighted to receive a freebie. You can also approach small groups of 3-4 people to give to each one, then move on. You can usually keep this whole thing on the down-low if you don’t want people in general coming up to ask for a freebie; also, once inside people are often focused on getting food or merch or finding their seats, so they are less likely to be focused on demanding freebies from you (which is good!).
- Keep some for your section. I always keep a few of my best freebies for those who will be sitting right next to me – consider this a bribe to not be upset at my terrible singing. It’s a great icebreaker and an instant bonding opportunity.
- Keep some on you all day. Once you are in a concert city, you’re going to see ARMY everywhere – at the mall, at fast food places, in the lobby of your hotel. These are great chances to give a magical surprise to someone who is just as excited as you are – this will often be their first concert memory and, as it’s a separate encounter from the actual concert, a memory that will last.
If you are offered a freebie…
Be a good ARMY!
- accept (or decline) with kindness and gratitude
- it will make the freebie maker very happy if you admire the item
- if the item is member-specific (like a photocard), do NOT ask if you can exchange it for some other member
- NEVER SWARM A FREEBIE MAKER, it’s honestly terrifying, and terribly rude
Lastly, a word about kids
I see so many people online saying that they “always give to kids” and these days, there are a lot of young ARMY at concerts.
Just a reminder to:
- ALWAYS ask the parents first if it is okay to offer
- ALWAYS respect the kids’ reaction – it can be a tiring and overwhelming experience to be at a concert, and if they do not wish to interact with a stranger or accept your item, be understanding and move on
- Remember your goal above – kids are not going to give you a freebie back, or become your online friend, or even necessarily give you that “moment of delight” you are looking for. Many kids these days receive many freebies, and sometimes that means it’s not as special as it might be for adults. So just think about what YOU want from this interaction, and if you might get more happiness from giving to an adult, instead of a child.
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