BIGBANG Concert Under Government Investigation For “Shameless” Setup Issues

Fans are calling for refunds and “severe” punishment after BIGBANG’s recent concert was referred to South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission for problems with its seating setup.

The group kicked off their new world tour XX : COSMOS at Goyang Stadium from August 21 to 23, with several fellow stars in attendance. Among the tickets were floor seats in sections F1 and F2 priced at a staggering ₩253,000 KRW (about $183 USD), the second-highest tier after the group’s ₩275,000 KRW (about $199 USD) VIP standing tickets.

According to the seating chart released by YG Entertainment, the F1 and F2 sections were located directly in front of the main stage. However, those who purchased the tickets ended up furious when a tall stage extension cut straight across their line of sight, with many stating they could barely even see the members’ heads.

According to Sports Kyunghyang, a complaint has now been filed with the Seoul Regional Office of the Fair Trade Commission alleging that South Korea’s E-Commerce Act has been violated. Authorities are being asked to determine whether seats were properly sold, disclosed, and inspected, especially given that there was no notice that the view could be obstructed when tickets first went on sale.

As part of the complaint, the Fair Trade Commission will also determine whether fans who purchased the offending tickets should receive a refund — but that’s not harsh enough according to Korean netizens, with some claiming “severe” punishment is needed.

• “Seriously, they need to take legal responsibility. Absolutely shameless.”
• “YG Entertainment, they really never change.”
• “I think they absolutely need to take responsibility for this.”
• “Punish them severely…… Seriously, the concert price-fixing is insane.”
• “YG Entertainment has done so many other things with such shitty concert operations too, and it seriously pisses me off.”

This is not the first time YG Entertainment has come under fire for the same problem; last year, the agency issued full refunds to fans who bought tickets with an unexpectedly obstructed view for BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE show at Goyang Stadium.

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