According to a report by JTBC’s Scandal Supervisor, fans of actor Byeon Woo Seok were victims of illegal ticket scams with a total amount of damages worth ₩90.0 million KRW (about $ 64,700 USD).
JTBC’s Scandal Supervisor reported on June 19 that the ticket sales for Byeon’s fanmeeting, which began on May 27, drew 700,000 visitors for 8,000 available seats. The ones who couldn’t get the tickets turned to online resale platforms, where ticket prices were as high as ₩9.00 million KRW (about $ 6,470 USD), an excessive amount compared to the original price of ₩77,000 KRW (about $ 55.40 USD).
Scalpers gained the trust of desperate buyers by demonstrating their successful ticket purchases and claiming that the money would be refunded in case of any issues. But after receiving the money, they disappeared without transferring the tickets.
When these victims asked for refunds, the scammers mocked them in response. One scammer even sent an obscene video of themselves and suggested the victim settle the matter with it. They even asked the victim for explicit pictures in return.
An open chat of this scam’s victims has accumulated over 110 members as of now, with the total damages estimated at over ₩90.0 million KRW (about $ 64,700 USD). According to lawyer Park Ji Hoon, such ticketing scams are difficult to regulate, mainly when they operate through overseas servers.
Meanwhile, Byeon Woo Seok recently kicked off his first solo fan meeting tour, starting in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 6. He will be touring throughout Asia for the rest of this month into July, including the Philippines, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
Source: Sports Chosun
