“Scalpers Sweep Up Tickets… Can’t They Be Stopped?” 20,000-Won ‘Yongimax’ Seats Sold for 110,000 Won

As the release of the movie ‘Odyssey’ approaches, scalping of tickets in IMAX special theaters is becoming rampant. Unlike in the fields of live performances and sports, there is a lack of legal grounds to directly punish online scalping of movie tickets, leading to calls for institutional reform.

Recently, secondhand trading platforms such as Jungonara and Bungaejangter have seen a surge in postings selling ‘Odyssey’ IMAX tickets at marked-up prices. Christopher Nolan’s new film ‘Odyssey’ depicts the journey of Trojan War hero Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) as he returns to his homeland of Ithaca. It is a blockbuster filmed entirely with IMAX cameras for the first time in cinematic history.

As the release of the movie ‘Odyssey’ approaches, scalping of tickets in IMAX special theaters is rampant. IMDb

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In Korea, the CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall IMAX theater—which implements a 1.43:1 aspect ratio and is commonly referred to as ‘Yongimax’—is regarded as providing the best viewing experience, concentrating ticket scalping activities at this venue. The 2D IMAX ticket prices at this theater generally range from 17,000 to 21,000 won depending on the day and time. However, on the 1st, there were cases where popular seats were being sold for as much as 115,000 won each on secondhand platforms. Some sellers listed more than 10 tickets for a single showing, raising suspicions of systematic bulk booking through the use of macro programs.

IMAX tickets for hit films such as ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ and ‘Dune: Part 2’ had also been traded at several times their original price in the past.

Even in the United States, where there are only 25 theaters equipped for 70mm IMAX film screenings, fierce competition for reservations has emerged as audiences flock to experience Nolan’s signature large-scale production in its entirety. According to outlets such as the New York Post, IMAX tickets in the U.S. have soared to over 30 times their original price, reaching as much as $1,000 (about 1.44 million won).

A secondhand transaction platform post selling ‘Odyssey’ IMAX tickets on the 1st. Screenshot from Bungaejangter

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Institutional responses to rampant ticket scalping in Korea remain insufficient. While revised laws banning scalping and imposing fines of up to 50 times the excessive sales amount for performances and sports events have gone into effect this month, for movies, only offline scalping is subject to prosecution under the Act on Minor Offenses. There is virtually no legal foundation for directly regulating online sales. Since theaters often need to report such cases as obstruction of business, the effectiveness is limited.

CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall IMAX Theater. CGV

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In the National Assembly, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Junhyeok and others submitted a 2024 amendment to the Act on the Promotion of the Motion Pictures and Video Products, which would ban selling or brokering movie tickets at prices higher than face value. However, it is currently pending with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expressed support for eradicating scalping, but stated that focusing regulations on fraudulent online sales would be the most appropriate approach.

Theaters are also taking their own measures. CGV stated, “If activities that undermine a fair reservation environment are discovered, we take necessary actions such as restricting account usage in accordance with our terms of service.” The Korean Film Council also said, “Since scalping can occur for blockbuster releases, we will monitor the situation accordingly.”

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