Timon and Wemakeprice Refund and Cancellation Crisis
Consumer Agency Receives 2,391 Inquiries
Announcement of Fast Cancellation Support for Travel Products
Mr. Lee (27) booked a travel package on TMON a month ago. However, he was later notified by the travel agency that he needed to make the payment again for a similar package. Mr. Lee complained, “I already received confirmation of the reservation, so isn’t it irresponsible to unilaterally cancel it like this?”
On the afternoon of the 25th, around 4 PM, victims who have not received refunds for their payments are waiting in front of the TMON headquarters located in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Shim Seong-ah]
Recently, delays in settlements and refund cancellations involving TMON and WEMAKEPRICE, subsidiaries of the Qoo10 Group, have caused disruptions to consumers’ summer vacations, leading to a surge in complaints. As concerns grew over the uncertainty of refunds for previously paid amounts, consumer inquiries have skyrocketed.
According to the Consumer Agency on the 26th, the number of consultations related to the three shopping malls under the Qoo10 Group this month totaled 2,391 cases. Following WEMAKEPRICE, the settlement and refund delays at TMON escalated, resulting in 253 cases reported on the 23rd and 1,823 cases on the 24th. According to Mobile Index, TMON had 4,071,821 users last month, and WEMAKEPRICE had 4,060,100 users. The combined monthly payment volume for TMON and WEMAKEPRICE exceeds 1 trillion KRW.
Customer dissatisfaction is intensifying. Mr. Kim (27) raised his voice, saying, “The hotel and travel agencies should resolve payment issues directly with TMON.” Mr. Han (54) said, “While TMON is primarily at fault, customers trusted and purchased based on the travel agency’s name,” adding, “It’s infuriating to see them trying to quickly distance themselves from this situation.”
On the afternoon of the 25th, around 4 PM, victims who have not received refunds for their payments are discussing solutions to the issue in front of the TMON headquarters located in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Seongah Sim]
TMON and WEMAKEPRICE announced that they will support rapid cancellations for travel packages departing this month and will sequentially support purchase cancellations for next month’s packages according to the scheduled dates. Ryu Gwang-jin, CEO of TMON, stated, “We are striving to alleviate the anxiety of customers and sellers through damage relief and resumption of payments,” adding, “We will do our best to resolve the settlement delay issue as well.”
Major domestic travel agencies such as Hanatour, Modetour, and Chamjoeun Travel have notified TMON and WEMAKEPRICE of contract termination due to unsettled sales proceeds. As a result, previously sold overseas travel packages have been canceled, and customers must rebook through the travel agencies to proceed with their trips.
Attorney Lee Joo-han of Wemin Law Firm said, “It is necessary to closely examine the contract terms between TMON/WEMAKEPRICE and the travel agencies or accommodations,” and diagnosed, “Whether victims receive compensation will depend on how much money TMON/WEMAKEPRICE have and their actual asset value.”
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