Tips for the Lovecraftian Horror that is K-pop concert ticketing

Taylor Cross (who also writes under the name Carmen Young) is one of Notes on K-pop's summer fellows. She is a Bay Area-based freelance writer and Crunchyroll News contributor with a passion for K-pop, K-dramas, and intersectional pop culture conversations.

Tamar: As we all know, ticketing is absolutely hellish nowadays, to the point there is legislation in the works to regulate it. When Taylor brought up this guide to K-pop ticketing, I felt it was a must for Notes on K-pop, as we all have a responsibility to help every single fan out there struggling to get tickets and see their faves.

I'm sure you’ve heard of the Lovecraftian horror that is the K-pop concert ticketing process. Seventeen’s fandom-wide ticketing trauma alone makes it all seem like an anxiety-inducing exercise in futility. But I promise you, the chance to see your beloved bias live—the one you’d stan to hell and back—will give you the resolve, the courage, to brave the K-pop ticketing gauntlet. Now all you need is the know-how.

If you’ve read this far, it’s safe to assume you have a K-pop concert you want to attend in the not so distant future. As a K-pop veteran with more than ten years in the ticketing game, I’m more than happy to help. Honestly, I’d pop onto a ticketing site and strike gold like it was nothing. Until I got pistol-whipped by Twice’s ticketing process, that is. Even with all my meticulous planning, a rookie mistake was still my downfall.

You see, I had class on the day their tickets went on sale, so I allowed my friend to use my credit card just in case she ran into trouble using her own. And what do you know? Her card had issues. It should’ve been no problem. Just use mine right? ("Should" is such an ugly, judgemental word). But I had given her everything but my billing address, so she couldn’t proceed with the checkout. She called me over and over again, but it was to no avail as I was in class and my phone was on silent. She told me it was a soul crushing experience, watching the tickets disappear before her eyes.

My class was an hour long.

Imagine me getting out of class, all excited, only to find all this mess out. Your girl was in distress. Luckily, we still managed to snag tickets by the skin of our teeth. They weren’t VIP, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. 

After being burned by that experience, and bearing witness to other ticketing nightmares, I wanted to compile a list of tips that could prevent this fuckery from happening to you. 

With my hard-won wisdom, and what I’ve learned from friends and social media, here is the Ultimate Guide* to K-pop concert ticketing in 2024. That said…Please note that while these tips are generally applicable to ticketing processes in most countries, some specifics are based on my experience in the US.

*Ultimate in that there’s literally no way to ever truly ensure you get tickets, but the "Ultimate I Will Try My Best To Help You Ticket!" Guide. 

Prep before the sale: 

• Find out when ticketing starts and when presale registration ends by following the soloist’s or group’s official website, social media, and/or Weverse accounts.
• Register for presale on ticketing sites and/or through Weverse. 
  • If needed, purchase fan memberships in advance. If it’s a Weverse-based membership, once you have your membership, follow the link provided to complete your presale registration. You’ll receive an email with a code that gives you early access to tickets. This code typically arrives about two hours before ticket sales begin.
    • Sometimes it’s not! Sometimes it’s just using your fan membership ID as a pre-sale code. We love chaos here. 
• Enter all of your payment information into Ticketmaster, AXS, or whichever ticketing site you are using well in advance so that everything is all set for ticketing day. 

• Check if there are pop-ups on the site or any unique traps by spending some time on the ticketing site. If you want, pick a currently on-sale event and pick a ticket, and attempt to check out all the way through right before confirming the sale so you can gain familiarity with the process. 
• If you have multiple credit cards, add backups to ensure all your eggs aren’t in one basket just in case anything goes awry.
• There’s strength in numbers. Create a group chat with a couple of friends for support, and ability to be in the queue simultaneously. 
  • Make sure everyone has enough funds to actually buy the tickets if need be. If they need to use your credit card and you’re comfortable sharing that info, provide them with the address attached to the card. Trust me.
  • Do not use the same account on multiple devices – the site will flag you and kick you out.
  • Instead, have each friend use/create their own account. This increases your chances of securing the tickets you want, especially high-demand tiers like floor or soundcheck tickets. Since the queue is a random lottery, having multiple people with their own accounts can help improve your odds of securing those highly coveted spots.
  • Know that VIP Only benefits are linked to the credit card used for purchase. Even if you buy the tickets under your account, you’ll need to show the credit card holder’s ID when picking up the tickets. If this is an issue, email Ticketmaster and request to be added as an alternate pickup person.
• Stating the obvious here, but: tickets ain’t cheap! Since this is a big purchase, your bank might block the transaction and ruin your chances of securing tickets. To avoid this, call your bank beforehand and inform them about the upcoming charge. Some banks might send a text message or email with a confirmation code, so be ready to confirm the transaction day of.
• How do you know which seats are good and which ones are duds? Simple. Go to aviewfrommyseat.com. This website allows you to look up a venue and see photos and ratings from other people who’ve sat in those seats. This way, you can get a better idea of what to expect.
• If this site isn’t available in your country, try finding a similar website, check Reddit, or, if possible, visit the venue in advance.
• I do not recommend floor seats unless you are in the first three rows or are over 5’7”.

Prep for day of Sale and/or Presale 

• On ticketing day, join the waiting room the moment it opens, which is usually about 30 minutes before ticketing starts. 
• If you want soundcheck tickets, act fast. They usually sell out within the first 20 minutes of presale.
• For VIP soundcheck tickets, consider getting the membership presale on Weverse or other fandom membership sites, as these tickets rarely make it to general sale. Even with presale access, there’s no guarantee you’ll get them. Manage your expectations to mitigate heartbreak!
• If you’re on a laptop, turn off the sleep setting while you’re in the queue.
• When ticketing finally begins, you’ll be automatically placed in a queue with 2,000+ people in front of you. Don’t fret—this is the norm. Just keep an eye on the progress bar.
• When it’s finally your turn and there’s only one person ahead of you, the page will automatically refresh to the ticketing screen. Be ready to pounce!
• Overall game plan: Get in. Know what you want. Get out.
• If you’re buying tickets during presale, you’ll need to enter your presale code first. This code must be entered before you can view and select tickets. Make sure you have it ready to go! Time is of the essence! Sometimes you have to enter it multiple times, or unlock a certain setting with it. Don’t lose your cool, you got this! 
• Pick your ticket quantity as soon as you get in. 
• Don’t use the seating map for seat selection; use the sidebar instead. If you need a visual reference for your section, then check the map.
• Use the filters to select the “best seats available.” 
• Warning! Ticketmaster’s Platinum tickets do not offer VIP benefits—they are just overpriced. Make sure to uncheck the Platinum tickets when filtering your options. (There are literal lawsuits about this practice, because it seems so pointless except for taking advantage of fans during sales!) 
• Always have a backup plan for which seats you are willing to pay for. Do not panic buy!
• If you don’t need accessibility seating, don’t select it just because it’s the only option left. It’s important not to deprive those who genuinely need it. I know ticketing can feel like a bloodbath, but remember to be considerate.

After the sale

• If you got tickets, congrats! You did it! Start planning your travel and outfits for the show. Have fun! 
• If you didn’t get tickets, don’t worry. People’s plans will fall through and you can hopefully buy tickets still at or below face-value. The closer you get to a show, the likelier tickets will either soar in price or drop, depending on demand. 
  • If you want tickets from official ticketing sites but didn’t get tickets during the presale or sale, wait until a few nights before and check around 10pm. Sometimes new seats open up, week-of! 
• Beware of ticket sellers on social media. Always confirm you have your ticket in your account or physically before sending money to resellers on social media. It’s always best to go through an official ticket reseller, with digital tickets directly sent to you. 

Now play the cuntiest K-pop song you know; take a deep breath. Woosah. You got this!