Image Source: Belift Lab
Belift Lab revealed on the 23rd that ILLIT's inaugural tour, 'PRESS START♥︎,' announced on the 22nd, will commence with performances in South Korea on March 14-15 at Seoul's Ticket Link Live Arena, formerly known as the Handball Stadium.
Ticket pricing has sparked discontent, with meet-and-greet tickets set at 253,000 KRW, sound check tickets at 220,000 KRW, and regular seats priced at 165,000 KRW.
The dissatisfaction stems from three primary factors. The Ticket Link Live Arena's relatively smaller size compared to venues like Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium and Gocheok Dome limits the diversity and quality of performances. This has led most artists performing at the same venue to price tickets under 200,000 KRW.
For example, Daesung's 'DAESUNG 2025 ASIA TOUR: D's WAVE ENCORE - SEOUL' on March 3-4 had a top ticket price of 187,000 KRW, and '2026 CNBLUE LIVE '3LOGY'' on March 17-18 capped at 154,000 KRW. Other artists like Touched, Lee Chang-sub, and P1Harmony set their tickets between 150,000 and 180,000 KRW, indicating ILLIT's prices exceed the average by over 70,000 KRW.
Compared with ILLIT's previous performance, the current prices indicate a significant rise. Their '2025 ILLIT GLITTER DAY ENCORE' fan concert on November 8-9 last year at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park had meet-and-greet seats at 154,000 KRW, offered no sound check seats, and general admission at 110,000 KRW. Within four months, meet-and-greet tickets surged by 99,000 KRW, approximately a 100,000 KRW increase.
In particular, for girl group fandoms, newer groups face competition from other contemporary groups, such as those gaining traction through viral content like 'NOT CUTE ANYMORE' on TikTok. This period is critical for ILLIT to solidify its fanbase, yet escalating costs may deter casual fans, drawing criticism.
ILLIT's premium meet-and-greet tickets offer elaborate fan interactions post-concert, including brief conversations, photo opportunities, and autographs. However, the lack of prior announcements regarding the event's duration and structure has contributed to fan frustration.
A similar situation occurred during BOYNEXTDOOR's 'BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR 'KNOCK ON Vol.1' FINAL' in July at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena, where an unexpectedly brief meet-and-greet session of three minutes sparked controversy. Such deviations, without prior notification or policy for refunds, have prompted dissatisfaction.
Meanwhile, BTS concert tickets released for pre-sale on the 22nd sold out in all three phases.
The 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN GOYANG' set for April 9-12 at Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium, had ground tickets at 260,000 KRW and regular seats at 198,000 KRW. Despite elevated pricing, the anticipation of BTS's full-group performance post-military service led to rapid sell-outs, notwithstanding price-related grievances.
The pattern of ticket sales persisting despite price hikes benefits companies financially, enabling them to maintain or increase prices with minimal financial risk. Consequently, fans find themselves compelled to meet high costs without alternatives.
Kim Heon-sik, a pop culture analyst, observes, "HYBE has demonstrated a deliberate pattern of inflating ticket prices in recent times," interpreting it as a deliberate strategy for enhancing revenue.
A critical issue remains whether artists' perspectives are factored into such pricing decisions. Kim noted, "Though driven by management strategies, artists bear the brunt of criticism," questioning the alignment between merchandise and ticket pricing strategies and the actual preferences of fans and artists alike.
Kim criticized the commercialization of emotional engagement, stating, "This framework results in both artists and fans being exploited," highlighting the necessity for a re-evaluation of performance objectives and beneficiaries.
He also cautioned about the industry's inflationary trend, stating, "When HYBE adjusts pricing upwards, other agencies tend to follow," warning of potential adverse effects on the K-pop industry's long-term brand equity.
Kim urged governmental intervention, stating, "Fostering market diversity requires supporting smaller agencies and recognizing exemplary practices," cautioning that ignoring the monopoly of major corporations could stifle K-pop's global expansion.