In Korea, concert ticket scalpers can now face jail time
Watching your favorite artist live is a special experience that not all fans don't get to have. While these concerts become part of our core memories, some things can put a damper on the excitement. Ticket scalping, where people buy tickets just to resell them at higher prices, is a growing problem that inconveniences many fans, organizers, and artists. But in South Korea, you could be jailed for doing so.
Take for example this Korean man, Kim, who swindled KRW 595 million (P24.5 million) from fans selling fake IU tickets. This incident, along with others like singer Jang Beom-june canceling ticket reservations due to scalping, is just some of the many incidents. In fact, reports of illegal ticket sales jumped from 359 in 2020 to 4,224 in 2022 according to a report by Korea Creative Content Agency.
To curb this issue, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has updated the Public Performance Act. Effective last March 22, The Korea Times said this makes it illegal to use special macro tools to buy tickets in bulk and then resell them for a profit. Before the amendment, ticket scalping only fell under Article 3 of the Punishment for Minor Offense Act, which only focused on illegal entry through payments at physical venues, not accounting the online sales.
Now, under the stricter regulations, violators can face penalties of up to one year in prison or fines of up to KRW 10 million (P412,000).
"Ticket scalping threatens the basis of the market order for our culture and sports, and we (the ministry) will take severe actions against it. ... The Culture Ministry will implement various policies that can root out and prevent ticket scalping, thus restoring the order in the distribution system of culture and sports fields," Culture Ministry Yu In-chon said.
Korea Herald reported that the government agency has also set up a website where users can report scalpers with an option to apply for legal consultation.
Not only in Korea
The Philippines is also taking steps to control ticket scalping. Last year, for the NCT Dream concert, organizer Pulp Live World required fans to present their physical tickets and IDs at the door. Anyone caught with a scalped ticket will have it confiscated and may be blacklisted from their future events.
More recently, those who bought Klook Experience Packages for The Eras Tour—which included tickets and accommodations in Singapore—were asked to present a valid ID with the same name that is filled out in Klook's booking to be able to check in the hotel. Both tickets and accommodations are non-transferable.
In sports, 17 people were apprehended in 2018 for scalping tickets during the UAAP basketball finals. VIP tickets were being marked up from P450 to P3,000.
According to lawyer Jesus Falcis, there is no law against scalping tickets in the Philippines, "because under DTI law they are not considered basic necessities." He noted that only two cities in Metro Manila have anti-scalping ordinances.
"Kung sa QC or sa Pasay sila mag benta, yes dahil may anti-scalping ordinances yung 2 city. Not sure about other cities," he replied to an inquiry on X.
In Quezon City, violators may pay a fine of up to P5,000 or face up to one year in prison.