Scalpers Caught Selling GD Concert Tickets for 31 Times the Price Face Minor Fines

Amidst rampant scalping of BIGBANG member G-Dragon's concert tickets, criticism is mounting over the lenient fines imposed on those caught selling them.

On the 14th, police apprehended six individuals attempting to scalp G-Dragon concert tickets near Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, under the charge of violating the Minor Offenses Act. Four of the suspects were identified as Chinese nationals in their 20s, who had arranged to meet at the venue after coordinating online.

One of the apprehended individuals, facing imminent departure from the country, was fined 160,000 KRW (approx. $120 USD). The remaining five were referred to summary proceedings, typically resulting in fines of 200,000 KRW (approx. $150 USD) or less. This penalty is drawing scrutiny, as it stands in stark contrast to the potential profits. For instance, selling approximately 200 counterfeit tickets at 5 million KRW (approx. $3,750 USD) could yield a profit of nearly 100 million KRW (approx. $75,000 USD), with total fines amounting to just over 1 million KRW (approx. $750 USD).

On resale platforms, G-Dragon's VIP seat tickets, originally priced at 220,000 KRW (approx. $165 USD), were found listed for up to 6.8 million KRW (approx. $5,100 USD), a staggering 31-fold increase. Similar price gouging was observed for NCT WISH tickets (originally 190,000 KRW, reselling for up to 8 million KRW) and SEVENTEEN tickets (originally 110,000 KRW, reselling for up to 6.8 million KRW), highlighting a severe scalping issue for top-tier artists.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported that online scalping cases in professional sports surged from 6,237 in 2020 to 184,933 by August 2025, an increase of over 41 times in five years. This growing problem casts a shadow over the heightened interest in K-pop. Industry insiders lament the difficulty in combating sophisticated illegal operations that utilize macro programs.

A concert industry official stated, "Scalping is not a new problem. The responsible agencies must demonstrate a firm will to eradicate it. Crackdowns and rewards alone are insufficient. We need to reform the official resale structure and enhance platform accountability by raising fines."

Netizens expressed outrage, commenting, "This is why scalpers run rampant," and "The fines are so low it's like they're encouraging scalping." Many also lamented, "Genuine fans can't get tickets, while only the wealthy can go?"