BTS's comeback concert ticket scalping prompts police investigation as the Ministry of Culture seeks to combat illegal reselling.
March/11/2026 18:15Related Groups & Members
Amidst the gathering interest in BTS's (Bangtan Sonyeondan) full group comeback and performance at Gwanghwamun, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has requested police investigations into suspected cases of ticket scalping. Today (the 11th), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (hereafter referred to as the Ministry) revealed that they will take legal measures and sanctions against the illegal resale of tickets for popular performances, which has recently become a significant social issue. The Ministry explained that, in relation to BTS's performances at Gwanghwamun and Goyang, they monitored major online second-hand trading platforms and confirmed postings related to a total of 1,868 tickets (including duplicates) being sold to others. They requested investigations from the police regarding four cases involving 105 tickets suspected of illegal resale, where multiple tickets for the same performance were secured and sold at high premiums. The Ministry emphasized that even if these tickets are purchased, entry would be virtually impossible due to strict identity verification. The organizers warned that purchasing BTS tickets from unofficial sources could result in being unable to attend, even after paying high prices. Additionally, the Ministry noted that due to the announcement of additional ticket reservations for BTS's Gwanghwamun performance, there is a concern that postings related to ticket reselling and associated fraud crimes may increase. They requested thorough management and supervision from the organizers, reservation sites, and platform operators, including the removal of postings related to ticket reselling and strict identity verification on-site. They also called for information to be reported to the reporting center in cases suspected of unfair transactions due to macro program abuse. Minister Choi Hyun-young strongly pointed out that "illegal ticket reselling disrupts the distribution order of a healthy performance market and exploits fans' pure love for popular culture," stating that "starting with this request for investigation, we will continue to take sustained and strict measures until illegal reselling is eradicated and do our utmost to establish a fair viewing culture." He emphasized that "resold tickets will not exist if there are no buyers," and that this not only violates the organizers' reservation policies but also makes it practically impossible to transfer or receive tickets due to enhanced on-site identity verification, posing a high risk of fraud if sellers disappear. Therefore, tickets must be purchased through official reservation sites. BTS will release their 5th full album "ARIRANG" at 1 PM on the 20th and hold "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG" in the Gwanghwamun Square area at 8 PM on the 21st.
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