BTS concerts drew the most ticket-scalping reports submitted to KOCCA's online reporting board during the period covered by the data. Government data released on Sept. 10 showed that the group's "Arirang" world tour drew 102 illegal ticket sales reports to the Korea Creative Content Agency between September 2025 and Aug. 27, 2026. The ranking concerns reports received by that board, rather than a count of all illegal ticket sales.
According to agency records submitted to Representative Jeong Jun-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea, solo concerts by Psy ranked second on the list with 88 scalping reports. Boy band BIGBANG followed with 69 complaints, while singer Lim Young-woong recorded 64 cases during the same tracking period. Pop-rock outfit Day6 logged 51 reports, while visiting international acts Oasis and The Weeknd drew 48 and 44 reports respectively. KOCCA received 7,639 total scalping reports between January 2023 and August 2026, with music concerts accounting for 5,751 cases, representing 75.3 percent of all submitted filings. Fan meet-and-greets and actor stage greetings totaled 1,188 complaints, while musical theater shows drew 423 reports and competitive gaming events recorded 277.
Jeong said the board's reports could understate the extent of ticket scalping. Yonhap reported that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism identified 1,868 online postings suspected of illegal sales for BTS concerts, a volume 18 times larger than the board filings.
Secondhand resale marketplaces served as the primary venue for illicit transactions across the country. Data indicated that 79.8 percent of reported scalping trades occurred on platforms such as Karrot, Ticketbay, and Bunjang, while social networks like X, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram represented 20.2 percent. Jeong said reports containing identifying ticket details, such as reservation numbers, represented at most 10 percent of the total. The culture ministry has transferred only 11 suspect user accounts to law enforcement authorities since 2022, conducting two referrals in 2024 and two in 2026.
According to Yonhap's account of Jeong's remarks, a law allowing fines of up to 50 times the ticket sale price took effect in August 2026, although its impact remained uncertain. Representative Jeong warned that foreign scalpers actively bypass domestic regulations by listing Korean concert tickets on Chinese and American websites beyond domestic jurisdiction. Jeong called for stronger measures to address evolving resale tactics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which concert tour had the most ticket scalping reports in South Korea?
BTS's Arirang tour led reports submitted to KOCCA's online board from September 2025 through August 27, 2026, with 102 reports. These figures describe complaints received by that board.
What platforms are most commonly used for ticket scalping in South Korea?
Official agency data showed that 79.8 percent of reported ticket scalping transactions occurred on domestic secondhand marketplaces such as Karrot, Ticketbay, and Bunjang. Social media platforms including X, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram accounted for the remaining 20.2 percent of illicit ticket sale reports.
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