IU's agency apologizes to fan due to scalping prevention bungle

Singer IU [EDAM ENTERTAINMENT]

Singer IU's agency apologized for accidentally banning a fan club member while trying to filter out illegal ticket sales to the "H.E.R" Seoul concerts held last month.

IU's agency EDAM Entertainment made an apology on Tuesday and said it would roll back its "undercover agent policy." The agency sought to filter out illegal ticket resellers by canceling the tickets that were resold illegally. The policy rewarded people for reporting any suspicious acts, and the agency canceled tickets that it deemed were traded illegally.

The agency found and canceled 44 tickets to the singer's concert series, "2024 IU H.E.R. World Tour Concert in Seoul," with show dates on March 2, 3, 9 and 10.

Five of the tickets were bought by members of IU's fan club, Uaena, who were later expelled from the community and stripped of their membership status, EDAM Entertainment said. Twenty-nine general buyers, not members of the club, were restricted from joining the fan club in future and would also be banned from buying IU concert tickets.

The agency came under fire when a fan revealed that their ticket was canceled even after showing files proving they had asked a friend to pay for a ticket in their stead and had paid them back for the amount. The fan's club membership was also revoked.

"We sincerely apologize to the fan who has been hurt by our overly-thorough verification process of IU's world tour Seoul concert," EDAM Entertainment said in a statement on Tuesday.

Singer IU [EDAM ENTERTAINMENT]

"We also apologize to the artist, who would have been disappointed in the company due to this mishap. We have come up with a newly developed policy after heeding the calls of the fans."

The agency will roll back its reward for reporting suspected ticket scalpers and cancel the bans for those who have been kicked out of the fan club by the latest policy. Only those who have been threatening the well-being of the artist or the fan club will remain banned.

"We will screen all cases thoroughly to make sure that no fan is penalized without any good cause and come up with appropriate measures regarding each case," the agency said.

The "2024 IU H.E.R. World Tour Concert in Seoul" is the singer’s first tour in five years. Her last tour concert was “Love, Poem” in 2019.

This year's tour began in Seoul last month and will continue in 17 cities around the world, including Japan's Yokohama and Taiwan's Taipei, as well as Singapore and London.

IU performed for 15,000 fans during the four concerts that took place at southern Seoul's KSPO Dome last month. She is set to hold two encore concerts at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Sept. 20 and 21.

To find out more about IU, visit Celeb Confirmed

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]