"Available for 500,000 Won": Student ID Rentals Surge as University Festival Season Approaches

Outsiders Flock to See Performances by Popular Idol Groups
Risks Include Violations of the Resident Registration Act and Obstruction of Business

With the university festival season approaching, the spread of "student ID rentals" is becoming increasingly controversial. Some idol fans are attempting to disguise themselves as university students in order to attend festival performances.

On May 12, numerous posts were found on various social media platforms in which users publicly disclosed their gender and student ID number, offering to lend or rent student IDs. There were also posts listing the groups invited to perform at university festivals.

Example of a post offering to rent out university student IDs. Screenshot from social media.

The amounts exchanged for student IDs vary widely, ranging from tens of thousands of won to as much as 500,000 won. The rental price fluctuates depending on the popularity of the invited singers or groups. One user, who claimed to be a current student at a university in Seoul, wrote, "I will lend my student ID for three days, so please suggest a price first," and explained, "The ID is under a female name, and after payment, refunds are not possible for any reason, including failed entry."

As university festival season draws near, the practice of renting student IDs to outsiders hoping to see popular idol performances is gaining traction. In response to the rise in such incidents, festival organizing committees at various universities are reportedly strengthening their measures. Some schools are said to confirm student status by checking whether students can log in to campus applications. In some cases, only students who can answer questions about the locations of specific college buildings or the names of required general education courses are allowed onto festival grounds.

However, controversy continues as student ID lenders offer to provide school-related information to facilitate easier entry for renters. Some posts even state that "department jackets can be rented" or that "additional assistance, such as logging into Everytime (a university student community app), is available," with such extra services commanding higher prices for student ID rentals.

University festival performances are generally cheaper to attend than regular idol concerts, and unlike concerts, there is less competition for tickets, making entry relatively easy.

However, transferring a student ID to someone you do not know poses a risk of leaking personal information. Trading identification cards such as resident registration cards is a violation of the Resident Registration Act and is subject to criminal penalties. In addition, if an outsider pretends to be a student to gain entry to campus, it could constitute obstruction of business.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.