Couple pays 50,000 won, walks off with 220,000 won in meal vouchers at Seoul wedding

A couple unknown to either the bride or groom attended a wedding in Seoul, handed over 50,000 won ($37) as a gift and walked away with two meal vouchers worth 110,000 won each — netting 220,000 won in food for less than a quarter of that amount.

The incident, involving a newlywed identified only as A, was featured Thursday on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a current-affairs program. A had married the previous month.

While reviewing the guest list after the ceremony, A noticed a name neither family recognized. "I was curious who it was, so I checked the CCTV footage and found a couple I had never seen before — they handed over a gift envelope and took two meal vouchers," A said.

The footage showed a mask-wearing man and a woman in a black dress presenting a gift envelope and receiving two vouchers. The envelope contained 50,000 won. With the buffet priced at 110,000 won per person, the pair effectively paid 50,000 won for 220,000 won worth of meals.

A had hired a professional gift-reception service specifically to prevent non-guests from obtaining vouchers. Staff checked envelopes on the spot, turning away empty ones or those containing only 10,000 won. The couple's envelope held a 50,000-won note, raising no suspicion, and the two vouchers were handed over without question.

"I didn't think it warranted legal action, so I decided to tip off the program and use the power of broadcast instead," A said.

The program raised the possibility that the pair were a prospective couple on what is known as an "undercover tour" — visiting a wedding venue by blending in as guests to assess parking, traffic flow, food quality, hall atmosphere and event management before signing a contract. As per-person meal costs at some venues have climbed past 100,000 won, demand among engaged couples to inspect venues firsthand before committing has grown.