South Korean police have dismantled a large-scale illegal ticket scalping network targeting major K-pop concerts, even going as far as disguising themselves as fans of SEVENTEEN to catch resellers in the act.
On March 11, the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency announced that 16 suspects had been arrested on charges including obstruction of business and violations of the Performance Act. Among them, three key figures identified as the ringleaders have been placed in detention while the investigation continues.
Authorities revealed that the group operated from October 2022 to January 2025, running an online community with 1,309 members dedicated to illegal ticket trading. Within the group, members shared self-developed macro software designed to automatically purchase concert tickets the moment sales opened. They also exchanged strategies for ticket hunting, monitored price fluctuations, and warned each other about police surveillance.
Over the three-year period, the network targeted more than 190 major events and illegally resold over 30,300 tickets, generating approximately 7.1 billion won (about $5.3 million USD) in illicit profits.
Investigators said many suspects had previous experience in the IT industry, allowing them to exploit vulnerabilities in online ticketing platforms. Their macro programs could pre-select seats before sales opened and instantly complete payment once tickets were released—a tactic known as “waiting for payment.” The group also used automated tools to buy canceled tickets and created multiple accounts to bypass ticket purchase limits.
To catch the suspects, police launched a large-scale crackdown on ticket scalping in August 2024. Officers initially targeted small-scale resellers outside concert venues before expanding their investigation to uncover the larger network behind the operation.
In one notable undercover operation, officers disguised themselves as fans attending a SEVENTEEN concert and arranged to meet a scalper selling a VIP ticket originally priced at 198,000 won for 1.6 million won—about eight times the original price. The sting operation led to the suspect being arrested on the spot.
The scalping ring targeted numerous high-demand concerts and fan events featuring major Korean stars. These included tours and performances involving artists such as G-Dragon, BLACKPINK, IU, and Lim Young-woong.
Some tickets were resold at extreme markups. For example, VIP tickets for certain concerts originally priced at a few hundred thousand won were listed online for up to 90 million won, depending on the demand.
The investigation was carried out in cooperation with entertainment companies, including HYBE, as well as major online ticketing platforms that provided monitoring data to authorities.
Police confirmed that one software developer connected to the operation has fled overseas and is currently subject to an Interpol Red Notice. Authorities are continuing to expand the investigation to identify additional ticket scalping networks operating both inside and outside South Korea.
Sources: Netizenbuzz
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