60 million VND for VIP tickets to see Blackpink, why are fans still competing to buy them?

(Dan Tri) - In fact, many fans are willing to spend 60 million VND to buy VIP tickets in the hope of standing as close to the 4 Korean female idols as possible.

Information about the seating/standing map and ticket prices for the two shows on July 29-30 of the group Blackpink in Hanoi is creating a wave of controversy. The highest ticket price is 9.8 million VND, the lowest is 1.2 million VND. According to the organizer of the Born Pink concert in Hanoi, the benefits for the highest ticket class are owning 8 photo cards of the idol, buying exclusive items, VIP card sets and lanyards, and being able to queue up early. However, the controversial thing is that the soundcheck is not included in the list of privileges for VIP ticket buyers like many concerts the group has performed in other countries before.

Get a "value for money" experience when purchasing VIP tickets

That is what Nguyen Ngoc Nhat Truong (born 2002, Da Nang ) shared when he had the opportunity to watch Blackpink's concert in Thailand last January and May. He told Dan Tri reporter: "The highest ticket price I bought for myself in January was nearly 6 million VND. I also bought a resell ticket for a friend for 18 million VND. For the concert in May, the original price I bought was nearly 12 million VND. Because I couldn't get it, my friend also bought VIP tickets for 33 million VND and 60 million VND."

Nhat Truong spent nearly 18 million VND to go see Blackpink's concert in Thailand twice (Photo: NVCC).

To get a high-class ticket for the concert in January, Truong said that money and luck were the two deciding factors. He was surprised when he booked a ticket with a small queue number. Because he wanted an extra small queue ticket for his friend to go with him, he was forced to buy it from a reseller at a price three times higher. Returning to the concert in May, Truong had a harder time hunting for high-class tickets. He said that the difficulty increased 10 times when all the seats were seats, requiring specific selection. Moreover, the original ticket price was also twice as expensive as in January. Finally, he chose a "fence-hugging" position close to the stage thanks to careful preparation from the internet connection to the pre-booking information. What made the Da Nang native "roll around" to get a VIP ticket was being able to stand and watch his idol at close range. He also got to watch the group's sound review. Although this part only lasted 10 minutes, it was the "money-making" factor.

Truong said that those who buy the highest class tickets also have a separate entrance, line up to buy items and get in earlier than regular tickets. Soundcheck takes place at 3:30 p.m., Truong needs to arrive at 3 p.m., not early. "I find the advantage of standing VIP tickets is that you can party hard, and dance more easily. With sitting VIP tickets, you can freely go out to buy water or go to the restroom, without fear of anyone taking your seat, breathing easier, and less back pain. The first time, I was able to stand in the VIP area of the side stage (where the band interacts a lot). The next time, I stood in the VIP area of the main stage (where the band performs the most, most spectacularly). Experiencing both stages gives me the feeling of seeing perfect pieces of a puzzle," Truong said. During the two times "chasing" idols with a large amount of money, Truong was emotional, even in tears. For fans like him, that period was like a dream that had just ended. He said that he would continue to go to Blackpink's concert in Hanoi. Not as lucky as Nhat Truong, Ly Pham (25 years old, an office worker in Ho Chi Minh City) tried to hunt for VIP tickets in Singapore but failed. She had to choose the seats in the stands because she could not afford to buy tickets again. Therefore, she cherished the hope of hunting for the highest class tickets when Blackpink first came to Vietnam. Ly said: "When I saw the VIP tickets cost 9.8 million VND, I was surprised. I did not think that concerts in Vietnam would be priced higher than in other countries in the region, so I had hope. However, it could also be an opportunity for me to hunt for tickets closer to the ladies." Buying a VIP ticket on July 7 means Ly will have to spend half of her monthly salary. However, she still thinks it is a worthy experience.

Spend tens of millions of dong in exchange for the scene of jostling and looking at the phone?

PN - a person who specializes in hunting for tickets and has a lot of experience "chasing" concerts - said that many young people come to him with the desire to buy VIP tickets. They are willing to spend a lot of money to see their idols perform and see the drops of sweat. The number of VIP seats is limited, but fans with stable finances always want to have good seats. This is what makes VIP tickets a difficult item to hunt.

Those who buy VIP tickets do not have to wait in long lines (Photo: NVCC).

This person does not deny the appeal of the highest class ticket, but he also frankly talks about the disadvantages. "You guys who buy VIP tickets can burn out, stand close to the stage. However, those who do not have the ideal height will only see the heads of the people standing in front, the phone screen and be jostled and pushed," PN shared. Sharing the same opinion, Nhat Truong said that the VIP standing area often has situations of jostling, losing seats when going to the toilet, and feeling short of breath. Truong even witnessed many people being taken out by the medical team because they fainted. Luckily, he stood close to the barrier so he felt more comfortable. The "half-crying, half-laughing" situation that Nguyen Ha (26 years old, Hanoi) encountered while going to a concert in Singapore was having to endure the body odor of others. Ha was afraid of losing a good place to watch, so she had to "accept her fate". With a height of 1.55m, she could not "compete" with the audience in front to watch the performance. Therefore, she had to endure hiding under their shadow. After enjoying a few songs, she began to smell a strange scent from many people. When recalling the memory from more than a month ago, Ha still felt funny. However, for Ha, being able to "burn out" with her idol in the VIP area was a valuable experience for her. After returning home, she also owned exclusive items from the band, not afraid of buying fake goods that were flooding the market.

People who are not of ideal height are often advised to buy seated tickets instead of standing in the VIP area (Photo: Kim Ngan).

When the information about Blackpink coming to Vietnam was announced, many conflicting opinions appeared. Some people criticized young people for "wasting money", spending money on impractical things. With the price of 8 million VND (the rumored price of VIP tickets when the official information had not been announced), they thought that fans could do more meaningful things. This thought angered fans. Because they wondered: "Why do I have to listen to others teach me how to spend the money I earn?". From the perspective of outsiders, "following" idols is a luxury, unrealistic. But for those who consider it a part of their youth, spending an amount of money equal to a month's salary is considered worthy.

Blackpink is a Korean girl group that debuted in 2016, consisting of 4 members Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo and Rosé. These idols attract a large number of fans around the world because of their talent and charisma when performing and taking fashion photos. Born Pink is a world tour starting in October 2022 in Seoul, Korea. Before coming to Vietnam, the group performed in European and Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, China...

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