Large-Scale K-POP Ticket Scalpers Arrested: How Did They Pull It Off?

A man in his 30s has been arrested for allegedly reselling thousands of tickets to K-POP concerts and other high-demand events, generating about $1.7 million(2.4 billion won) in sales and using the profits to buy real estate.

The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency said on Sept. 16 that the man had been detained and referred to prosecutors on charges including obstruction of business.

From September 2018 to April 2026, the suspect allegedly used automated ticket-buying software and seven online accounts belonging to himself and family members to secure 8,967 tickets. He then resold them at prices reaching as high as 30 times their original value.

The tickets included concerts by popular K-POP artists, performances by international and trot singers, musicals and sporting events. In one case, a BTS concert ticket originally priced at 110,000 won was resold for 3 million won, more than 27 times its face value. A SEVENTEEN fan meeting ticket was also sold for 1.8 million won.

Police estimate that roughly two-thirds of the 2.4 billion won in sales was profit. Authorities believe the suspect used the proceeds to purchase an apartment and two commercial properties. The apartment had already been sold by the time police arrested him.

Police have since frozen approximately 1.26 billion won in assets, including the two commercial properties and bank deposits, ahead of potential confiscation.

The suspect allegedly stopped his ticket-reselling operation in April after seeing reports that police had busted a large-scale scalping ring. He then formatted his computers and mobile phones in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Investigators also found records showing that he had asked AI about police investigations into ticket scalping.

The man reportedly denied the allegations, claiming that he did not know ticket scalping was illegal and that he had paid taxes on his earnings.