"Student ID Rentals Reach 500,000 Won... Black Market and Line-holding Services Surge"

Korea University Removes Plaza for Celebrity Performance Booths
Student IDs Traded for 50,000 to 200,000 Won After Outsider Ban

The core of major university festivals in Seoul is shifting toward large-scale concerts that attract crowds of outsiders, leading to various side effects.

Daedongje Festival Scene. The Asia Business Daily DB

According to Yonhap News on May 16, 12 London plane trees and wisteria benches that had stood in front of the Democracy Square at the Korea University Student Union Building for over 10 years were removed last month to make way for celebrity performances and booths scheduled for the festival on May 19.

Kyung Hee University allocated a budget of 220 million won solely for selecting an agency to arrange celebrity appearances at the Daedongje Spring Festival, which begins on May 18. The service request included requirements such as “top-tier hip-hop artists” and “the highest-ranked idols and singers.”

As fervor for performances grows, disputes over outsider entry continue. Some idol group fans have gone so far as to borrow student ID cards to watch their favorite idols perform at university festivals, memorizing campus building names, course titles, and even university slogans to avoid suspicion. As universities restrict outsider access, student IDs have essentially become tickets for entry.

On online platforms like social media and open chat rooms, posts offering “student ID rental available” or “will lend ID card with additional photo ID” have been frequently appearing. The daily rental price for a student ID ranges from 50,000 to 200,000 won, with prices skyrocketing when popular idols are scheduled to appear. Some online posts have even offered up to 500,000 won for entry over two days.

With crowds gathering, services have emerged where people can hire someone to hold their place in line near the stage. If someone waiting in line gets hungry or thirsty, they can pay a fee to be matched with an “errand runner” for assistance. In festivals with first-come, first-served entry, it is common for people to wait in line for hours in advance.

There is growing criticism that campus life is being upended for celebrity performances, causing the original purpose of the festival to be lost. One university student complained, “What used to be a student community event has become overly centered on celebrities. Now, it feels less like a school festival and more like an idol concert.”

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