Ticket scalping has long been a problem in the entertainment industry, but the issue became particularly apparent following the 2026 release of The Odyssey. As demand for screenings at Seoul’s Yongsan IMAX theater surged, tickets appeared on online resale platforms for prices several times higher than their original value. However, the problem extends far beyond a single movie. Concerts and sporting events have also struggled with ticket scalping. In the past, regulations largely focused on the use of macros. Yet scalpers found alternatives, such as proxy ticketing and account transfers. This shows the difficulty of solving scalping simply by banning a specific technology. When one method is blocked, new methods can emerge.
The problem is also closely connected to online resale platforms. These platforms make it easier for sellers to reach large numbers of potential buyers, but they can also make illegal transactions difficult to identify. If the same seller repeatedly posts tickets at inflated prices, transaction records and identity verification could help identify suspicious activity. However, stronger monitoring raises questions about how much responsibility platforms should bear for transactions between individuals. Balancing consumer protection with legitimate private transactions remains an important challenge.
On Aug. 28, amendments to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act took effect. Purchasing tickets for resale by interfering with legitimate purchasing procedures is now prohibited. Specifically, the revised law targets repeated or commercial resales above the original purchase price without the consent of the original seller. Violators can face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million KRW, while illegal sellers may also face administrative penalties of up to 50 times the sales amount. Yet a stronger regulation does not mean that the problem has disappeared. The new rules apply specifically to tickets for performances and sporting events, leaving other forms of entertainment outside their scope. Most notably, movie tickets are not currently covered by the revised laws. From a consumer’s perspective, the underlying problem is similar. Whether one is trying to attend a concert, a sporting event, or a movie, tickets are being resold at inflated prices.
At the same time, banning every form of ticket resale could create another problem. Not every resale is an attempt to exploit demand. A person may purchase a ticket and later become unable to attend because of an unexpected circumstance. Allowing that person to transfer the ticket at its original price is fundamentally different from reselling tickets for profit. This distinction is essential because the central issue is not resale itself, but the exploitation of limited access for profit. Regulations should distinguish legitimate transfers from scalping for profit.
The 2026 legal amendments have moved beyond targeting a single technology toward regulating practices that distort the ticket market. Yet the emergence of movie ticket scalping and other regulatory blind spots shows that legislation must continue to adapt as the entertainment market changes. For some, a ticket is more than a piece of paper or a seat number. It is a chance to experience a long awaited moment. Ensuring that access to these experiences is not determined by money or exploitative tactics should be the true purpose of the fight against ticket scalping.
