SEVENTEEN’s Annual Fan Meeting Caught in Ticketing Controversy
On March 20 and 21, 2025, SEVENTEEN hosted its highly anticipated annual fan meeting, titled SEVENTEEN in CARAT LAND, at the Incheon Munhak Main Stadium. The event, spanning two days, was completely sold out, with fans eagerly purchasing tickets during the pre-sale phase.
However, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment for many attendees on the first day, as numerous empty seats were visible throughout the stadium, even in some of the most sought-after sections close to the stage. This situation raised a myriad of questions regarding the ticketing process and allocations, as highlighted by fan accounts on social media.
Several fans took to X to express their frustration, sharing screenshots from the ticketing website that showed seats available for purchase shortly before the event. Many claimed they had waited for hours to secure tickets, only to see them become available again at a later time.
“Seeing empty seats AGAIN when I could’ve planned better if they had just been transparent is so disappointing. Why does this keep happening? It’s not fair to CARATs who saved up and were ready to go,”an X user commented.
This sparked extensive discussion online, with many fans voicing their disdain for ticket scalpers and the impact of their practices on genuine fans.
“I hope you made a deficit and learned your lesson. If you don’t do anything to stop scalpers & sellers in the black market it’s gonna get worse. I feel so bad for CARATs who didn’t get any tickets & then see these empty seats – what a waste,”a fan remarked.
“Wtf you’re f*kn joking?!😕 all those empty seats, what is interpark playing at??? (Plus those scalpers istfg this is so upsetting…i wonder what the members would have felt seeing those empty seats☹️),”a user noted.
“The empty seats…should’ve given the seats to CARATs but those scalpers ughh,”a person said.
Fans expressed that these vacant seats represented lost opportunities due to the pervasive issue of scalping, leading to heightened emotions among CARATs.
“He thought it wouldn’t sell out?! MAN THERE WAS A QUEUE, people left behind, so many couldn’t get tickets YOU GUYS, CARATs would fill those seats even if it was Christmas day,”a netizen wrote.
“All the empty seats that could’ve been filled up by CARATs… all wasted thanks to scalpers,”a viewer added.
“Scalpers are destroyers,”a fan shared.
Pledis Entertainment Addresses Security Breach
In a related development, on March 17, 2025, Pledis Entertainment revealed that an airline employee had been indicted for illegally selling SEVENTEEN’s flight information. In a statement released on Weverse, the agency emphasized its commitment to safeguarding the privacy and security of its artists.
“We are taking strict measures against actions that threaten the safety of our artists. Recently, an airline employee who illegally sold flight information related to SEVENTEEN was indicted following an investigation. We are also actively pursuing lawsuits against those who have invaded the artists’ privacy,”Pledis Entertainment asserted.
The flight information is reported to have been sold to “sasaengs,” and the agency has been addressing various leaks concerning the K-pop group’s confidential data, including unreleased albums and upcoming performances. These issues have persisted, with leaks surfacing on anonymous platforms since 2023. Following the collection of evidence last year, Pledis has filed criminal complaints, and law enforcement’s investigations are ongoing.
“We have always made our best efforts to protect information regarding our artists; however, we determined that these leaks had escalated beyond an acceptable level,”the agency added.
Pledis Entertainment is also actively pursuing legal action against defamation, personal attacks, and the spreading of false information and harassment aimed at the group. The company has indicated that it will not offer settlements or leniency in these matters. Pledis reaffirmed its dedication to protecting SEVENTEEN’s rights and expressed gratitude to CARATs for their unwavering support.
Notably, SEVENTEEN’s member Wonwoo announced that the fan meeting would serve as his final public appearance before his military enlistment, adding an emotional element to the event.