"ChatGPT Pro for 29,000 Won" Frenzy Triggers Refunds for Bulk Holders [IT Item of the Day]

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[Financial News] Kakao is refunding ChatGPT passes that sparked a buying frenzy earlier this year when they were sold at one-tenth of the regular price.
According to the IT industry on the 21st, users who hold multiple one-month OpenAI ChatGPT Pro passes sold through KakaoTalk Gift have recently been notified of refunds.
\r\nThe ChatGPT "Pro" membership is the highest tier among paid ChatGPT subscriptions. It offers access to the latest GPT models with high usage limits and is designed to handle complex data analysis, long-form report writing, and code generation and verification tasks reliably.
\r\nSince the 7th, Kakao has been informing users who hold multiple passes that refunds will be processed, and that service access may end without prior notice under its policy. The notice applies to users who have six or more passes in total, including both purchased and gifted passes.
\r\nIn February, Kakao sold OpenAI's one-month ChatGPT Pro pass through KakaoTalk Gift for 29,000 won, a 90% discount from the regular price of 290,000 won, drawing a rush of users soon after launch.
\r\nWhen the promotion ended just three days after sales began, buyers began reselling the passes on secondhand trading platforms at a markup.
\r\nAt the time, Kakao said in a notice, "Some passes have recently been found to be resold and distributed outside the official gifting service," and added, "We want to protect customers who use the service properly, prevent damage caused by resale, and provide a fairer service environment." It then restricted pass registration through repurchase.
\r\nA Kakao official explained, "Because this was a limited-time promotion, we set a purchase limit per person," adding, "We are taking action to protect legitimate users and prevent harm caused by resale."
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wongood@fnnews.com Ju Won-gyu Reporter