The BTS Ticket War and How it Exposed Pinoy Crab Mentality

In hindsight, the BTS ticket war was never just about securing a slot. It was about how we react when someone else gets what we wanted. As ARMY celebrated purchasing a seat for one (or more) of the highly anticipated Bulacan shows (or even outside the country), others were left empty-handed. Yet instead of just being frustrated, some projected this into criticism and resentment, a reminder that “crab mentality” remains alive and well in our culture.

When Success Becomes Suspicious

As I scrolled through BTS ticket war reactions on social media, a common one that I saw wasn’t just anger over the tickets being sold out. It was suspicion:

Were they queued properly?

Did they have organizer connections?

Did they use a direct link or third-party assistance?

While it’s completely valid to call out actual bots and scalpers, many fans who secured tickets fair and square found themselves having to defend their success.

It’s a pattern many Filipinos know all too well. Think about it: we often question someone’s achievement first and then congratulate them. In other words, we become auditors of other people’s blessings.

Myth: Success is Always Earned

Part of the frustration stems from the belief that being prepared guarantees results. In reality, buying a concert ticket, like many things in life, involves an element of luck. Some fans spent weeks strategizing and still walked away disappointed. Others got favorable queue numbers and secured seats.

Beyond fandom spaces, people work equally hard for promotions, scholarships, or business opportunities, yet outcomes are rarely identical. Sometimes, effort matters. If not, it’s the timing.

Accepting that reality is difficult because it forces us to admit that another person’s success is not always a reflection of our own shortcomings.

READ: The Anti-Ticket Scalping Act and What it Means for Concertgoers

Learning to Celebrate Others

The BTS ticket war is a stark reminder that another person’s slot isn’t a personal attack. Their seat doesn’t erase our effort, our worth, or future chances. Because if fellow ARMY played by the rules, why shouldn’t we be happy for them?

Perhaps the bigger picture here is that “crab mentality” doesn’t only appear in politics, workplaces, or communities. It can appear anywhere there’s competition. And maybe overcoming it begins with learning to celebrate other people’s wins, even when they aren’t our own.