Lisa, the iconic member of BlackPink, is making headlines as the first member of the group to organize a global fan meeting tour after eight years of activities. However, she is now facing significant challenges with ticket sales, leading to some public mockery and concerns about the event’s success.
Slow Ticket Sales Raise Eyebrows
Only 15% of tickets were sold on the first day of the sale in Singapore. In Indonesia, a country with a large fan base and considered Lisa’s second home, fewer than half of the tickets had sold out after three days, even reported on this issue, referring to the event as having “extortionate” prices. The lowest ticket tier is priced at $117, while the highest reaches $378.
As of October 31, many seats for Lisa’s fan meeting in Singapore remained available on Ticketmaster. Ticket prices range from $168 to $348, not including taxes and additional service fees that can add up to 15%. Consequently, fans are looking at total costs ranging from $135 to $445 for attending the fan meeting.
Controversy Over Ticket Pricing
The high ticket prices have sparked controversy over whether Lisa’s management company is “overpricing” and not accurately assessing the star’s popularity, resulting in a potential inability to fill the venue. Comments from fans include critiques such as, “Is the event planning team and Lisa too delusional? Aren’t they comparing with other idols?”
Indonesian fans expressed disbelief, stating, “How can Lisa’s fan meeting tickets be more expensive than the highest-priced concert tickets for Ed Sheeran?” Others questioned the event planners’ logic in setting such high prices, noting, “This is just a fan meeting, not a concert. Lisa doesn’t even have that many solo songs, and the highest ticket price is nearly $445.”
A particularly striking comment gained over 20,000 likes, mocking the high price in relation to the limited performance time where fans could only hear a few songs from Lisa.
Comparison with Other Artists
In comparison, Suga from BTS has demonstrated significantly better ticket sales performance. Even among other female solo artists like Taeyeon and IU, Lisa’s ticket sales lag considerably.
Big Ground Entertainment, the company organizing Lisa’s fan meeting, explained that the listed prices were a mutual agreement with Lisa and were adjusted based on the fan meeting’s concept. They emphasized that the scale of production, grand staging, LED displays, and high-quality concert-level sound system would make the event unforgettable for fans.
Adjustments to Ticket Pricing
Faced with the disappointing sales figures, Lisa’s fans in Indonesia have petitioned for changes, arguing that the production team is struggling with effective promotion. They noted that the venue is not easily accessible by public transport and that ticket prices are significantly higher than the average wage of Indonesian workers. Fans hope the company can reconsider the organization, find a more accessible venue, and lower ticket prices to allow more fans to attend.
In response, the organizers have announced a 35% reduction in ticket prices, dropping the highest ticket price from $378 to $246 and reducing the lowest from $117 to $85.
The organizers assured that the new pricing applies to all fans, including those who had previously purchased tickets, and that they would refund the price difference, including taxes and venue fees.
Upcoming Fan Meeting Tour
In September, Lisa announced her upcoming Asia fan meeting tour, scheduled to kick off in mid-November. The series of events, titled “Fan Meetup,” will take place in five locations across Asia. The tour begins on November 11 in Singapore, followed by stops in Bangkok (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kaohsiung (Taiwan, China), and concluding in Hong Kong (China) on November 19.
Despite the challenges faced, Lisa’s global fan meeting tour continues to generate excitement, and fans remain hopeful for a successful turnout.
