Busan: South Korean authorities arrested 11 individuals for allegedly reselling tickets at inflated prices during BTS‘ two-day ARIRANG concerts at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. The crackdown came amid massive demand for the group’s performances, which coincided with FESTA 2026 celebrations and the band’s 13th debut anniversary.
Police launch anti-scalping operation
With thousands of fans flocking to Busan for the concerts, local police deployed around 70 officers around the stadium to prevent illegal ticket resales and protect concertgoers from fraudulent practices.
Authorities closely monitored activity near entry gates and surrounding areas, identifying individuals suspected of engaging in ticket scalping operations.
The operation was part of a broader effort to curb unauthorised ticket sales at large-scale entertainment events in South Korea.
What is the wristband-transfer scheme?
Investigators discovered that some scalpers were using a wristband-transfer method to bypass security measures at the venue.
According to police, individuals would first enter the stadium using valid tickets and receive admission wristbands. Instead of keeping the wristbands secured on their wrists, some allegedly loosened or carefully removed them without causing visible damage.
These wristbands were then transferred or sold to other buyers waiting outside the venue. During periods of heavy crowd congestion, some attendees were reportedly able to enter using the wristbands alone when security personnel were focused on checking wristbands rather than verifying digital ticket information.
Authorities said the scheme exploited gaps in crowd management and allowed unauthorised buyers to gain entry.
Tickets allegedly sold at triple the original price
Police said one of the individuals detained was a woman in her 40s accused of reselling a BTS concert ticket with a face value of 220,000 Korean won for 680,000 Korean won.
Investigators also identified other cases where tickets were allegedly sold for between 350,000 and 550,000 Korean won, significantly higher than their official prices.
The inflated resale prices reportedly left many genuine fans unable to secure affordable tickets for the highly anticipated concerts.
Foreign nationals also involved
Authorities stated that the operation uncovered the involvement of several foreign nationals in the illegal resale activities.
Reports indicated that some Chinese citizens were allegedly involved in transferring admission wristbands to concertgoers outside the stadium.
Police are examining the extent of the network and whether organised groups were involved in the resale operations.
Fines imposed on offenders
According to local reports, all 11 individuals detained during the operation were fined 160,000 Korean won each under South Korea’s Minor Offenses Act.
Officials said they would continue monitoring major concerts, sporting events and public gatherings to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Law enforcement agencies have also warned that stricter measures could be introduced if ticket-scalping activities continue to rise.
BTS popularity drives massive demand
The members of BTS — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — continue to attract enormous global audiences.
The group’s ARIRANG era comeback has generated extraordinary demand, with tickets reportedly selling out within minutes and creating opportunities for illegal resellers to exploit the market.
Many fans, popularly known as ARMY, have repeatedly voiced concerns over ticket scalping and the growing challenge of securing tickets at official prices.
Conclusion
The arrest of 11 alleged ticket scalpers at BTS’ Busan concerts highlights the growing challenge of illegal resale activities at high-profile entertainment events. As authorities continue to strengthen anti-scalping measures, fans hope future concerts will offer fairer access to tickets and reduce opportunities for profiteering.