The story of lottery when it comes to buying a ticket for a concert may seem a little strange to us at first, but apparently it is one of the solutions that the organizers have found to avoid illegal sales or smuggling tickets.
Not everyone agrees obviously, especially the fans.
Lottery or choice of your numbered place when reserving?
One thing is certain, one or other method will never prevent you from finding yourself behind more or less excited fans, more interested in how their cell phones manage to film the concert than in letting those behind them enjoy it.
Here is an article from 👉 Korea Times
Frustrated by street sales, K-pop fans demand change in concert ticketing system
By Pyo Kyung-min
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As the music industry’s crackdown on ticket hawking intensifies, fans are facing unforeseen obstacles, sparking debates about the need for a more fan-centric approach .
.In a recent incident, a fan of singer IU, who was accused of illegal ticket exchanging and banned from attending a concert, highlighted the complexities and unintended consequences of the current measures to combat street vending.
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An IU fan took to an online community to share a disturbing experience: “Although I managed to get tickets, a payment glitch caused my friend to make the payment on my behalf. Unfortunately, the ticket has been reported as being the subject of illegal trade.”
The fan was unable to attend the concert, was not reimbursed and was even permanently excluded from the IU fan club. The ordeal has brought attention to the broader issue of fans facing repercussions due to harsh ticketing policies..
The singer’s agency, EDAM Entertainment, is known for its strict measures to combat illegal ticket trading, including encouraging fans to report any misconduct. However, many people believe that it is reasonable and common to seek help from family or friends to purchase hard-to-obtain concert tickets, and that such actions should not be considered illegal.
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In response to the controversy, the agency released a statement expressing regret.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused to the fan. We also apologize to anyone who may have experienced any inconvenience during the concert ticket booking process […]. We will take this into consideration criticize constructively and modify the system based on the diverse opinions,” she said..
Despite the agency’s intentions, the incident highlighted the delicate balance between deterring hawkers and inadvertently causing inconvenience to real fans.
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The broader problem is the increasing complexity of ticket booking and identity verification processes, which have been criticized for being cumbersome.
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Fight against street vendors
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However, in the current industry climate, complacency is not an option. Street hawkers have long exploited fans’ desperation for profit, leading to a steady increase in hawking incidents.
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Park, a college student in her 20s, recently failed to get tickets to an NCT 127 concert. She admitted to briefly considering buying tickets on the run due to her deep disappointment at not being able to attend the show.
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“I ultimately didn’t resort to buying discounted tickets. But honestly, I think it’s the universal desire of a desperate fan to want to attend the concert even if it means paying more,” Park said.
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“Some people are willing to do anything to see their favorite singer, and you never know when you will have another chance to attend a concert […]. Without appropriate measures to punish hawkers that exploit the desperate desires of fans, more people could succumb to the temptation to buy tickets sold on the street.
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According to an analysis by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), complaints about hawking tickets have steadily increased over the past five years, reaching a total of 549 cases.
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A notable increase in demand for live concerts following the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic is presumed to have contributed substantially to an increase in ticket sales. Complaints about hawking tickets, which stood at 43 and 41 cases in 2020 and 2021, respectively, during the pandemic, skyrocketed to 136 and 192 cases in 2022 and 2023.
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In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently amended the Public Entertainment Act, effective March 22, to crack down on illicit ticket resale practices involving macro or automation programs. Under the new regulations, violators now face sentences of up to one year in prison or fines of up to 10 million won.
However, doubts persist about the effectiveness of implementation efforts.
It is difficult to prove macro-program involvement in scalping cases, and it is difficult to tackle individual cases of illicit transactions without careful monitoring.
.Yoon Dong-hwan, president of the Record Label Industry Association of Korea, criticized the limited practical impact of the amended law and warned of potential threats of scalping to the entire concert industry.
“Regarding the March 2024 amendment to the Public Enforcement Law, although it classifies purchases made using macros as illegal, it is virtually impossible to trace purchases of macros made by anonymous hawkers,” Yoon said in a press release.
“As instances of ticket hawking continue to rise, fraudulent practices associated with ticket hawking are also increasing. The advent of macros has allowed hawkers to organize and further commercialize. These illicit activities disrupt the foundations of the industry, leading to serious legal consequences.
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A tested lottery system
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Calls for a fundamental review of the ticket purchasing system have also emerged as a solution to effectively combat street selling practices.
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A lottery system has been suggested as an alternative to the current “first come, first served” method to reduce hawking, with other countries such as Japan already using this approach.
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In a recent survey conducted by the ACRC from March 13-19, 87.84% of 2,352 respondents expressed confidence in the effectiveness of a lottery system.
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HYBE, the entertainment giant representing BTS and Seventeen, has introduced a lottery system for concert tickets in Korea. But fans have complained about not being able to choose their seat or receive a full refund if canceled.