Festival Season... Shocked by Soaring Ticket Prices [Chosun Price Records]

(16) Seoul Jazz Festival Ticket Prices Near 200,000 Won
Initial 30,000 Won Tickets Surge to 190,000 Won

May, the "season of festivals," marks the opening of large-scale domestic festivals. As overall prices rise, a phenomenon called "ticketflation" (ticket + inflation) is emerging. The ticket price (one-day pass) for the Seoul Jazz Festival (Seojaepe), the most prominent jazz festival in Korea, is approaching 190,000 won, leading consumers to complain that festival ticket prices are too expensive.

On the afternoon of the 28th, the 2024 Lovesome Festival was held at the 88 Lawn Square in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, which was filled with spectators. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the performing arts industry on the 5th, the representative domestic jazz festival, Seojaepe, will be held for three days from May 31 to June 2 at Seoul Olympic Park. Seojaepe is an urban music festival that spans various music genres including jazz, K-POP, rock, and hip-hop. Having started its first stage in 2007, this year marks its 16th anniversary.

However, since the festival's inception, ticket prices have steadily increased, becoming a burden for attendees. Office worker Lee Hyun-jung (30) said, "I wanted to go because it’s a famous festival, but when I checked the ticket prices, they were too expensive," adding, "I decided to give up on Seojaepe and go to another festival instead." In fact, over 16 years, Seojaepe’s ticket prices have increased more than sixfold. The ticket price was only 30,000 won in the first year, but this year it is 187,000 won. Private Curve, the organizer of Seojaepe, explained the complaints about high ticket prices by saying, "Ticket prices were set considering increased production costs such as artist guarantees, venue rental fees, and labor costs after COVID-19."

In 2007, Seojaepe ticket prices varied by date and seat, ranging from 30,000 won to 100,000 won. Since then, ticket prices have increased by 10,000 to 20,000 won annually, but from 2012, when the venue changed from Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to Seoul Olympic Park and tickets, previously divided by seat, began to be sold as one-day passes, prices surged. At that time, the one-day pass was 99,000 won, and the two-day pass was 178,000 won.

Even after the introduction of the one-day pass, prices steadily rose every one to two years. Ticket prices were 121,000 won in 2013, 121,000 won in 2014, 137,000 won in 2015, 145,000 won in 2016, 145,000 won in 2017, 155,000 won in 2018, 165,000 won in 2019, 165,000 won in 2022, and 187,000 won in 2023. The festival was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the afternoon of the 28th, the 2024 Lovesome Festival was held at the 88 Lawn Square in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, which was filled with spectators. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Average Ticket Price for Popular Music Performances is 110,000 Won... Soaring Every Year

Ticket prices for other music festivals besides Seojaepe are also higher than those for movies and musicals. The official ticket price for the Seoul Forest Jazz Festival, which started in 2017, was 99,000 won (one-day pass) last year. The Jarasum Jazz Festival, which began in 2003 and is now in its 21st year, had general pre-sale prices last year of 80,000 won for a one-day pass, 140,000 won for two days, and 180,000 won for three days. The Lovesum Festival, which ended in late April, had a one-day pass priced at 110,000 won.

According to the '2023 Year-End Performance Market Ticket Sales Analysis Report' published by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS) in February, the average price per popular music ticket last year was 111,775 won, rising continuously since 2020 and increasing by 7.4% compared to 2022. Compared to current weekend movie tickets at 15,000 won and musical tickets averaging 56,998 won, these are 86% and 49% more expensive, respectively.

Noodles 9,000 Won, Dakgangjeong 17,000 Won... Festival Food Prices Also Soaring

There are also complaints about high prices for food inside festival venues. Since outside food is often restricted, such as banning delivery food inside the venue, attendees must use food booths set up inside, but there are ongoing complaints that the prices are high relative to the portions. At the food booths of the recent Lovesum Festival held at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, dishes such as kimchi cold noodles were priced at 9,000 won, cheesy fries at 12,000 won, dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken) at 17,000 won, and takoyaki at 7,000 won, drawing criticism for being "small portions and expensive."

Food at the food booth of the Love Some Festival held at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Reader Provided

Attendee Park (29) said, "The ticket price was 110,000 won, but the menu items at the food booths inside the venue were too expensive and portions were small," adding, "Many people wanted to eat inside the venue, but delivery food was not allowed. The food cost for three people came to 90,000 won," she lamented.

Meanwhile, some attendees burdened by high ticket prices use a method called "ticket splitting." For example, the three-day pass for Seojaepe costs 420,000 won, which is about 25% cheaper than buying three one-day passes separately. Using this, one might use one day themselves and transfer the other two days to others. However, most festival organizers consider such unauthorized transactions illegal. Also, transactions through unofficial resellers, proxy purchases, or ticket transfers are not protected in case of damages, so caution is advised.