HYBE to Launch Facial Recognition Entry System ‘Face Pass’ at K-pop Concerts in 2025

HYBE, a leading South Korean entertainment company, has announced plans to implement facial recognition technology for concert entry starting in 2025. The system, called “Face Pass,” will debut at TWS’ fan meeting in February 2025 and aims to streamline the venue entry process. The initiative follows HYBE’s earlier collaboration with Toss and InterparkTriple to combat ticket scalping through biometric verification.

The facial recognition system will verify the identity of concertgoers attending HYBE-organized events. The implementation represents a significant shift in how major K-pop concerts manage audience entry and verification procedures, following similar deployments in other entertainment venues worldwide. The technology has already shown promise in venues like Argentina’s River Plate stadium, where biometric ticketing systems have successfully improved entry efficiency and reduced fraud.

The announcement, made on December 23, 2024, marks HYBE’s first major deployment of biometric technology for event access control. The company, which manages several prominent K-pop acts including BTS and NewJeans, positions the technology as a solution for improving efficiency at concert venues while addressing the persistent challenge of ticket scalping in the K-pop industry.

The initial rollout of Face Pass coincides with TWS’ upcoming fan meeting, serving as a test case for the system’s broader implementation across HYBE’s concert events. The technology authenticates attendees’ identities through facial recognition, potentially reducing entry times and improving security measures. Unlike controversial deployments such as the undisclosed use of facial recognition at a Taylor Swift concert, HYBE is being transparent about its implementation plans.

Members of the K-pop community have expressed varying viewpoints regarding the implementation of facial recognition technology, particularly concerning data privacy and the collection of biometric information. The concerns echo broader discussions about biometric data protection under regulations like GDPR, which requires explicit consent for collecting and processing biometric data. HYBE will need to address these privacy considerations as it moves forward with the Face Pass system’s implementation.

The deployment of Face Pass represents part of a growing trend in the entertainment industry, where venues and organizers are increasingly turning to biometric solutions for access control. The trend has also faced pushback, with some musicians actively opposing the use of facial recognition at their concerts due to privacy and civil liberties concerns.

Sources: Sportskeeda, Allkpop, Pannative, Pannchoa, KpopMap

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December 24, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team