K-pop Ticketing Glossary — 선예매, 일반예매, 취켓팅 & Every Term Explained
Updated 2026-08-08
Korean ticketing has its own vocabulary, and most of it never gets translated in official notices. Here's the glossary international fans actually need.
- 선예매 (seon-yemae) — Presale
Early ticket access for official fanclub members, usually 1–2 days before general sale. Requires an active paid membership (typically via Weverse) linked to your ticket account.
- 일반예매 (ilban-yemae) — General sale
Open to everyone with an account. This is the round most international fans join — and the one that sells out in minutes for popular acts.
- 티켓팅 (ticketing)
The act of buying tickets at open time — used like a verb ('ticketing at 8PM'). Success is called 성공 (success), failing is 실패.
- 취켓팅 (chwi-ketting) — Cancellation ticketing
Grabbing tickets that others cancel. Cancelled seats return to sale at set times (often midnight or 10AM KST in the days after open). Genuinely winnable if you're persistent.
- 피켓팅 (p-ketting) — 'Bloody' ticketing
Slang for extremely competitive ticketing (피 = blood). If a show is described as 피켓팅, have backup seat choices ready.
- 본인인증 — Korean identity verification
Phone-based ID check tied to Korean mobile numbers. Events requiring it usually can't be bought from overseas — look for global purchase options instead.
- 매크로 — Macro/bot
Automated ticket-buying software. Heavily policed: suspicious accounts get cancelled, and venues check IDs at entry. Never buy from resellers claiming 'macro seats'.
- 양도 — Ticket transfer/resale
Person-to-person resale. Officially banned for most K-pop shows; transferred tickets risk entry denial since names are checked. Avoid.
💡 Tips
- Follow the artist on this site to get every 선예매 and 일반예매 open time in your timezone.
- 취켓팅 windows (cancellation returns) are listed in each event's notice — worth setting an alarm for.
FAQ
Can I join a fanclub presale as an international fan?
Usually yes — buy the official membership on Weverse, then link it per the event notice instructions. Do this well before open day; linking can take time to process.