South Korean police crack down on K-pop ticket scalping ring

South Korean police have referred two individuals in their 30s to prosecutors for using automated macro programs to illegally purchase and resell thousands of concert tickets for major K-pop artists, including BTS.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency reported that a woman in her 30s is accused of using macro programs to illicitly book approximately 2,600 tickets between April 2023 and March 2024. This included using the accounts of family and acquaintances to secure nine tickets for a BTS performance at Gwanghwamun. Authorities estimate her criminal proceeds exceeded 442 million won and have applied for the forfeiture and collection of these assets.

In a separate case, the Ulsan Police Agency arrested another individual in their 30s who allegedly developed their own macro program to sweep up 70 to 80 tickets per minute. This individual is accused of illegally reselling approximately 1,700 tickets between November 2024 and October 2025, earning roughly 420 million won by selling tickets at 3 to 13 times their original cost. Police have also applied for the seizure of the profits in this case.