Last checked: October 27, 2026. Release times and rules differ by ticketing site and by show, so follow the official notice for yours.
If a K-pop concert in Korea shows “sold out” (매진, maejin), there is still a chance. Some tickets come back because buyers do not pay or cancel. Korean fans call this hunt chwi-ket-ting (취켓팅). Here is how it works and how to stay safe.
Why tickets come back
When a show opens, many people book seats and then do not finish payment or cancel later. Those seats return to sale. One guide says you can book up to four tickets in one go and drop the worst seats unpaid. The same guide says tickets reserved with a bank transfer are canceled if not paid within 24 hours. Both come from one guide, so check your site’s rules.
When to check
- After midnight. One guide says most sites put canceled tickets back on sale between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. KST the day after ticketing opens. Another describes it as “shortly after midnight.” The exact time varies by site and show.
- Scheduled second rounds. Some bigger artists announce a “2nd round” sale instead. If you see a notice, follow it. If there is none, expect the overnight re-release.
- Near the show date. Cancellation fees go up as the show gets closer, so late cancelations may appear too. See the TXT Seoul fee schedule in our TXT guide for an example.
How to prepare
- Have your ticketing account, ID verification and payment method ready before you check. Foreign fans can read our ticket buying guide.
- Know which seat sections you would accept, so you can click fast.
- Be ready to take a single seat. One guide notes that returned tickets are often single seats, so sitting with friends can be hard.
- Use the official site or app only, and check that the release time is in Korea Standard Time.
- Do not give up after one try. Seats can return in waves.
Be careful with resale
If you miss out, you may see people on social media selling tickets. Many Korean shows check your ID against the account that bought the ticket, so a resold ticket may not get you in. Check our fan club presale guide and the rules for your show before you pay anyone. A safer path is to stay with official returned tickets.
Other ideas
- Check if the artist adds shows, a live stream or a fan-meeting event later.
- Follow the artist’s official notices for any extra sale.
Sources
- Soompi, K-Pop 101: how to buy tickets to a K-pop concert
- Korea JoongAng Daily, how to buy K-pop concert tickets for Korea
- NOL Ticket event page for the TXT Seoul shows (example rules)