[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Scalpers have been actively soliciting buyers on KakaoTalk open chat rooms following the rapid sellout of tickets for BTS’s free comeback concert scheduled to be held at Gwanghwamun Square on June 21.
When a reporter posted a message in an open chat room seeking an on-site transfer of tickets, a scalper responded by proposing an illegal method known as “a-ohm,” a scheme in which the buyer attempts to immediately rebook a ticket at the exact moment the original purchaser cancels it. The practice exploits perceived timing gaps in ticketing systems.
The scalper demanded an upfront payment of around 50,000 won and claimed that the ticket would be transferred on-site by cutting and handing over a wristband after ticket issuance. This method is designed to bypass identity verification checks conducted during on-site ticket distribution, taking advantage of looser checks afterward.
When concerns were raised about advance-payment fraud, the scalper attempted to reassure the buyer by offering to share contact details. However, industry observers note that even with contact information, buyers have little recourse if the seller fails to appear on the day of the event.
Ticket resale posts have proliferated across social media platforms since reservations opened on May 23 and sold out almost instantly. Although the tickets were originally distributed for free, resale prices reportedly range from 50,000 won to as much as 200,000 won depending on seat location.
Scalpers have also promoted other methods such as “cancel-and-repurchase” tactics and so-called “canceled-ticket sniping.” However, ticketing platforms have emphasized that such practices are not supported by their systems and that unauthorized transfers violate ticketing policies.
AlphaBIZ Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
