South Korean Man Arrested Over 2.4 Billion-Won Ticket Scheme
South Korean Man Arrested Over 2.4 Billion-Won Ticket Scheme
Anonymous
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The suspect allegedly used several methods to transfer tickets to buyers, including changing delivery addresses, transferring tickets online and handing over entry wristbands in person at venues.
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Investigators said the man participated in what they described as South Korea’s largest social-media scalping chat group, which was shut down earlier in 2026 after a police investigation; he reportedly used information and automated programs shared in the group.
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Additional examples of alleged markups included a Seventeen fan-meeting ticket bought for 110,000 won and resold for 1.8 million won, and a Team K League–Tottenham Hotspur match ticket whose price rose from 400,000 won to 1.65 million won.
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Police said the suspect stopped scalping after learning of a crackdown, then formatted his computers and mobile phones; investigators nevertheless recovered transaction records through seized-device analysis and digital forensics.
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According to police, the suspect had no regular job after graduating from university and relied on ticket resales as his livelihood.
South Korean police arrested a man in his 30s accused of running a massive ticket-scalping operation that generated about 2.4 billion won ($1.7 million USD) in sales over seven years. Asian News Network reports he illegally bought and resold 8,967 concert and sports tickets between September 2018 and April 2026, using automated programs and accounts held by relatives to secure coveted seats for BTS, Seventeen, and K League matches.
The suspect allegedly pocketed roughly two-thirds of the revenue — about 1.6 billion won in profit — by marking up prices as much as 30 times over. Seoul Economic Daily reported that one BTS ticket purchased for 110,000 won was resold for 3 million won. Police secured a preservation order on approximately 1.26 billion won in suspected criminal assets, including an apartment and two commercial properties the suspect bought with scalping profits.
Member of South Korea's Largest Scalping Ring
The suspect did not act alone. AllKpop reports he participated in what investigators called South Korea's largest social-media scalping chat group. Police shut down this group earlier in 2026 after uncovering the network. The man used automated ticket-buying software and information shared within the group to secure high-demand seats before fans could.
He transferred tickets to buyers through multiple methods: changing delivery addresses, moving tickets online, and handing over entry wristbands in person at venues. This made tracking his operation difficult. By the time police launched their crackdown, he had already stopped scalping and attempted to destroy evidence by formatting his computers and phones.
Extreme Price Markups on K-pop and Sports Tickets
The markups were staggering. Beyond the BTS ticket that sold for 27 times its face value, Seoul Economic Daily detailed a Seventeen fan-meeting ticket bought for 110,000 won and resold for 1.8 million won — a 16-fold increase. A Team K League–Tottenham Hotspur match ticket jumped from 400,000 won to 1.65 million won, more than quadrupling in price.
These inflated prices locked out ordinary fans. Limited supply and automated bots meant real people couldn't compete. The suspect relied entirely on ticket resales as income after graduating university, turning a hobby into his main livelihood.
Digital Forensics Recovered Hidden Transaction Records
When police closed in, the suspect attempted to erase his tracks. He formatted his computers and mobile phones to destroy evidence. But investigators used digital forensics to recover his transaction records from seized devices. This allowed police to piece together the full scope of his operation across nearly seven years.
South Korea Tightens Rules Against Illegal Resales
This arrest comes as South Korea cracks down on ticket scalpers. Korea JoongAng Daily reported that President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to pursue scalpers "to the end" and recover profits from illegal resales. The government views the practice as harmful to fans and unfair competition.
The new regulations aim to prevent abuse of automated purchasing tools and crack down on scalping networks. By holding scalpers accountable — through arrests, asset seizures, and prosecutions — South Korea hopes to make tickets more accessible to genuine fans.
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