SEVENTEEN Ticket Scalpers Sentenced to Prison in Korea

Pledis Entertainment said in a statement released on September 28 that the two scalpers were sentenced to one year and eight months and one year and four months in prison, respectively. The court also ordered the defendants to pay more than 1 billion won—approximately $700,000—in combined forfeiture.

The agency did not identify the defendants or provide the name of the court in its public statement. It also did not specify whether the rulings were final or subject to appeal.

Pledis says other scalpers remain under investigation

Pledis said the two defendants were among professional ticket scalpers recently caught in connection with illegal resale activity involving SEVENTEEN concert tickets.

The company added that investigations involving other alleged professional scalpers are continuing, including individuals believed to be operating from outside South Korea.

“We will continue to track professional scalpers involved in fraudulent ticket transactions to the end and respond firmly without leniency,” the agency said, according to Korean media reports.

The announcement follows a larger police investigation disclosed earlier this year. In March, Pledis said it had provided investigators with information and a written opinion concerning a group accused of using automated programs to secure large quantities of concert tickets before reselling them at heavily inflated prices.

The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency reportedly booked 16 people in the case and referred three, including the alleged ringleader, to prosecutors in custody. Authorities said the group generated approximately 7 billion won in proceeds through the resale operation.

The agency’s statement did not fully detail the exact relationship between the defendants named in the latest sentencing announcement and all 16 suspects previously investigated. Therefore, readers should not interpret the announced sentences as the final legal outcome for every person involved in the broader investigation.

Why the sentences matter for K-pop ticketing

Ticket scalping has become a persistent problem across the global K-pop concert market. Automated purchasing tools can acquire multiple seats within seconds, leaving fans unable to buy tickets at their original prices. Those tickets may then appear on unofficial resale platforms at several times their face value.

The SEVENTEEN case stands out because it involves both prison sentences and the recovery of a substantial amount of money. Forfeiture is designed to prevent offenders from retaining proceeds linked to illegal activity, making the financial order an important part of the announced punishment.

The timing is also significant. South Korea introduced stronger anti-scalping rules that took effect on August 28, 2026. The revised framework prohibits habitual or commercial ticket resale at a premium without the ticket seller’s consent. It also covers improper purchases intended for resale, regardless of whether macro software was used.

Under the strengthened system, authorities can impose administrative penalties of up to 50 times the resale amount in qualifying cases. The revised measures also provide for confiscation or forfeiture and establish rewards for people who report illegal ticket transactions.

However, Pledis did not state which laws or criminal charges produced the prison sentences in this particular case.

Fans in South Korea can report suspected illegal ticket transactions through the government-backed online reporting center for performances and sporting events.

Agency also reports ruling in malicious-post case

In the same statement, Pledis provided an update on a separate case involving malicious online content directed at its artist.

The agency said a defendant prosecuted on a charge of malicious defamation received a fine of 2 million won. According to Pledis, the defendant appealed the ruling, and appellate proceedings are now underway.

Because that case remains on appeal, the first-instance judgment is not final.

Pledis reiterated that it would continue taking legal action without settlements or leniency against ticket fraud and malicious conduct.

For international fans, the latest announcement offers a rare look at the commercial networks behind K-pop ticket scalping.

Pledis says it will closely watch whether the sentences lead to a broader decline in illegal resale activity.