K-pop fever comes with a catch as fan scams surge in South Korea

SEOUL, June 21 — South Korea’s global K-pop success is drawing record numbers of fans to the country — but it is also creating new opportunities for scammers, with fraud reports filed by foreign nationals nearly quadrupling in just two years.

According to data from South Korea’s National Police Agency released yesterday, the number of foreign nationals reporting fraud rose from 5,307 cases in 2023 to 19,907 in 2025, as international visitors flocked to the country for concerts, fan events and official merchandise.

Some of the cases have centred on K-pop, with overseas fans losing money after paying individuals in South Korea to buy sought-after concert tickets or official merchandise on their behalf, only for the sellers to disappear once the money had been transferred, according to local media reports cited by The Korea Herald.

The issue often stems from international fans being unfamiliar with South Korea’s online purchasing systems or language, prompting them to rely on local intermediaries or unofficial sellers to secure tickets and exclusive fan goods.

The problem was highlighted during BTS’ concerts in Busan on June 12 and 13, where police said five of the seven crimes reported by foreign nationals at the venue involved scams, according to The Korea Herald.

The figures come as South Korea continues to ride the global popularity of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu. Data from the Korea Tourism Knowledge and Information System showed the country welcomed a record 18.94 million foreign visitors in 2025, a 71.7 per cent increase from 11.03 million in 2023.

While much of that growth has been fuelled by international interest in K-pop, K-dramas and other Korean cultural exports, critics have warned that a rise in fraud targeting overseas fans could damage the country’s reputation as a cultural tourism hotspot.

“As more foreign nationals visit South Korea to experience Korean culture, stronger measures are needed to prevent them from becoming victims of crime,” ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jun-hwan said, according to The Korea Herald, calling for closer cooperation among government agencies to better protect international visitors.