Fans Divided Over HYBE’s Treatment Of Global Fans For Japanese Concerts

Fans claim this to be discriminatory.
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Jasmine Turner
Jasmine Turner

A tweet surrounding &TEAM‘s latest concert has gone viral recently. Global fans, including Korean ones, were disgruntled that tickets to &TEAM’s Japan concert were discriminatory towards global buyers, favoring Japanese ones. According to the ticketing protocol, local buyers were given priority in seating over global fan club members. For global fanclub members, one had to apply for a raffle to get a ticket in the nosebleeds. Following this, if you had already obtained a nosebleed seat, you could further apply for another raffle to get a chance at premium seating for an extra cost. Premium seats cost twice as much as regular seating.

Fans were furious as other global concerts held in any other country do not provide priority to the local audience. This is usually only applicable for Japanese concerts. This protocol has been repeated across many other artists, not just &TEAM.

“HYBE is insane. It was revealed that global LUNÉs were all given nosebleed seats, and because they didn’t allow presales, they simply just opened premium seat raffles, but it is twice the price of normal tickets, and you have to first win the raffle for a normal ticket (no refunds allowed), then win the raffle for the upgrade. It’s so sad because if you win the raffle, you have to pay twice as much, but if not, you’re forced to take nosebleed seats. I’m talking about myself.”

— 8_r0o

While this is pretty standard protocol for most K-Pop concerts held in Japan, fans remain divided about the issue. Many voiced out that it was unfair how global tickets were forced to be in the upper seats. What is more is that global raffle winners are not allowed to find out their seating arrangement until the day of the concert itself.

People have always been talking about how they discriminate against global LUNÉs whenever they have a concert. I don’t know why the QRTs are talking like it doesn’t matter.

— monmon_naV

On the other hand, some have already resigned to their fate, calling this normal procedure for concerts in Japan.

No, I’m asking because I genuinely don’t know, but don’t all singers do this with Japanese concerts? For those singers on Weverse, as well as those not, everyone uses the premium seat raffle protocol. What’s this all about?

— whatever1like

They do this for all Japanese concerts, prioritizing Japanese audiences, and doing this for everyone else. How are people still criticizing them when previously it was only open to Japanese fanclub members, but now they’re even opening global tickets?

— rosiendhome

Although Japanese audience members are still prioritized, presales and raffles were previously only open to Japanese fanclub members. Things have gotten much more accessible for global fans, but it seems like many still remain unhappy about the discrimination.

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