The BTS fandom, ARMY, is addressing concerns about HYBE’s dynamic pricing system for concert tickets. They have initiated a hashtag campaign through social media to express their opposition to the agency’s ticket pricing policy and indiscriminate charging of content. The general consensus among fans is that the agency has gone too far.
On May 3, numerous ARMYs took to social media to express their displeasure with the ‘dynamic pricing system’ and ‘Weverse Service Improvement’ mentioned by HYBE during a conference call the previous day. They used hashtags like #SayNoToDynamicPricing and #NoDynamicPricing to voice their concerns and anger.
One fan’s tweet on Twitter sparked controversy regarding the dynamic pricing system for concert tickets. The tweet asked, “Do you truly believe in music?” and criticized the lack of notice provided to fans about the system. The fan shared an example of a ticket originally priced at 300,000 KRW (~225.16 USD) that was later increased to 1 million KRW (~750.54 USD) due to dynamic pricing. This incident has caused a significant uproar within the fandom.
During an investor conference call to reveal their Q1 2023 earnings, HYBE revealed its ‘dynamic pricing system,’ which refers to a ticket pricing model that fluctuates based on demand. HYBE stated, “Dynamic pricing has already been applied to recent concerts such as SUGA and TXT, and will be applied to all of our artists in the future.”
The dynamic pricing system was first introduced by Ticketmaster, a concert ticket organizer, and is similar to pricing models for airline tickets and hotel accommodations. As demand increases, ticket prices rise accordingly, and the price continues to change throughout the ticketing process, making it impossible to know the final price in advance.
The dynamic pricing system has been the subject of controversy since its implementation at Taylor Swift’s concert in November of last year, which even led to a congressional hearing. It has also been used for performances by artists such as Harry Styles, Coldplay, and BLACKPINK in the UK. The system was introduced to combat scalpers who profit from buying and reselling tickets, and Ticketmaster claims that it allows more revenue to go to the artists.
ARMYs recently complained about buying tickets for Suga’s solo concert in the US at high prices. ARMYs commented that ticket purchasing day was ‘a day of chaos’. One ARMY thought that Ticket Master’s policy was the reason she bought the expensive concert tickets, but she was shocked to learn that it was a policy that HYBE had implemented.
She said, “I paid 2.5 million KRW (~1,876 USD) for the ticket alone. I didn’t buy it from a scalper, I bought it directly from the source. I first slandered Ticket Master, but now I see the lowest (of HYBE).”
One netizen posted on their blog, “After paying $22 to sign up for a paid membership, I got the rights to buy a ticket through a lottery, but on the day of ticketing, the ticket, which cost $400 for a floor ticket, soared every time I clicked on it. It soared all the way up to $1800 for a floor ticket, and I eventually gave up. In the end, only those with big pockets will be able to go to concerts.“
Another ARMY said on their blog, “We have the right to purchase performances by artists belonging to HYBE at the original price, and I oppose the dynamic ticket system inflating prices, which was determined under the intentional leadership of the agency.”
