"Controversy Over Seating Arrangement After 'Went to See Bruno Mars but Ended Up Facing a Wall'"

by Kim Hyunjeong1

Published 19 Jun.2023 14:52(KST)

Updated 19 Jun.2023 15:49(KST)

Hyundai Card "Refund Planned for Inconvenienced Customers"

The concert of world-renowned pop singer Bruno Mars successfully concluded last weekend, but controversy has arisen over seats being sold from which the stage is completely invisible.

On the 18th, a post titled "I went to the Bruno Mars concert, how do I get a refund for the performance?" was uploaded on the online community 'Haeyeongal,' a site related to overseas entertainment.

The author, Mr. A, expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "I was genuinely shocked upon entering," and "It was a ‘wall view’ where neither the stage nor the big screen was visible at all. It wasn’t a restricted view seat, and I paid full price, so how do I get a refund after the concert?"

He also revealed the purchase details of two tickets in section A, discounted by 20% to 61,600 KRW each, along with a photo taken while sitting in his seat at the venue.

[Photo by Online Community Haeyeon Gallery Capture]

In the photo, the stage and big screen on the right are completely blocked by a wall, and only the first-floor audience seats are visible. The screen that looks like a big screen on the opposite side is actually an LED lighting spot.

On the actual concert booking page, apart from the seats marked as restricted view M and O seats, it is mentioned that "some seats in sections P, R, S, and A may have partial restricted views due to installations such as sticker towers, flagpoles, and torch relay stands within the venue."

According to the seating chart, the 11th section on the 3rd floor that Mr. A booked is marked as an 'A seat' and was not a restricted view seat.

According to review photos from other netizens who watched the concert from restricted view seats, the stage of Bruno Mars was clearly visible from those seats. The restricted view seats on the 3rd floor were priced lower at 52,800 KRW than the A seats.

Netizens responded with comments such as "They just want us to listen to the sound," "Isn't that a no-view seat?" and "Seats like that shouldn’t be sold in the first place."

A representative from Hyundai Card stated regarding the controversy, "The concert organizer will contact the customer directly and arrange a refund."

Previously, on the 17th and 18th, the ‘Hyundai Card Super Concert 27 Bruno Mars’ was held at the Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul Sports Complex. This concert, held for the first time in Korea in 2014, was sold out immediately with 101,000 tickets available after 9 years. The number of simultaneous connections reached 1.16 million.

If disputes arise over concert fee refunds like in Mr. A’s case, complaints can be filed with the Korea Consumer Agency. According to the Visa Dispute Resolution Standards, if the consumer demands a refund due to the fault of the performance operator, they can receive a refund of the admission fee plus 10% compensation.

In relation to this, it is recommended to keep related documents such as purchase details, receipts, and reservation numbers when booking concert tickets, and to pay by credit card to enable installment dispute rights and withdrawal of subscription in case of emergencies.