"'Illegal ticket reselling for premium screenings in the 100,000 won range'…Korean Film Council opens reporting channel for illicit transactions"

[Dispatch=Reporter Lee A Jin] The Korean Film Council is stepping up efforts to prevent illegal ticket resales at theaters.

The Korean Film Council said on the 19th, "We are continuously accepting reports related to illegal ticket transactions at domestic cinema special theaters to understand the actual situation of unlawful transactions."

Recently, illegal transactions have been rampant, particularly at special theaters whenever major releases open. The method involves using macro programs to bulk-reserve popular seats, then reselling them at marked-up prices on secondhand trading platforms or SNS.

In particular, 'Odyssey' (directed by Christopher Nolan), which opened on the 5th, has seen notable illegal ticket trading. As the film was shot with IMAX film cameras, there is high audience demand for special theaters.

'Odyssey' allows viewers to fully appreciate the expanded IMAX aspect ratio only at the IMAX theater in CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall. Tickets for that theater are being sold for around 100,000 won on some secondhand trading sites.

In response, the Film Council plans to open a dedicated reporting channel and collect actual cases of damage and evidence of illegal transactions. These include damage from marked-up special theater ticket sales, illegal ticket sales posts online, and abnormally large-scale bulk reservations suspected of using macros.

Based on submitted reports, the council will conduct a detailed investigation into the distribution structure and damage situation of illegal special theater tickets. Based on this, the council plans to prepare measures including consultations with online trading platforms and related government agencies, and improvements to prevention systems.

The Film Council said, "Illegal ticket sales are a serious problem that deprives people of legitimate viewing opportunities and damages trust in the entire industry. Whistleblower identities and report contents will be kept strictly confidential. We ask for the active attention and reports of moviegoers."

by. Azin Lee