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Blackpink concerts were the most popular topic in Vietnam in July 2023. Photo from Blackpink’s Facebook |
According to social media analytics firm YouNet Media, Blackpink concerts were the most popular online topic in Vietnam last month.
Interest in the group began to increase in late June when the group announced their first-ever shows in Vietnam on July 29 and 30. Interest in the group grew more and more as the dates approached, YouNet said.
With an estimated attendance of over 60,000 people, musician Huy Tuan said the two-night show was “the biggest music event ever held in Vietnam”.
The shows demonstrated the international cultural impact of Blackpink and the K-pop music industry.
“Idol groups” began to emerge on the Korean pop scene in 1996 with pioneers like HOT, Shinhwa, and SES. This collection of artists is usually referred to as “Generation 1” or “Gen 1” of K-pop.
However, it wasn’t until the birth of Gen 2 – which included artists such as BoA, SNSD, Super Junior, Big Bang, 2NE1 and DBSK – that the K-pop wave began to hit overseas markets like Vietnam.
According to the non-profit organization Korea Foundation, there were 4.12 million K-pop fans in Vietnam in 2012. The figure then rose to 13.3 million in 2022, an increase of 223% in just 10 years, making Vietnam the country with the third-most K-pop fans in the world, after China and Thailand.
With the development of technology, young Vietnamese can more easily access K-pop content using, but not limited to, social media platforms and music streaming services.
Launched during K-Pop’s Asian prime in 2016, and under the direction of South Korean industry superpower YG Entertainment, Blackpink was immediately popular and soon dubbed “the new 2NE1” and “Big Bang’s younger sisters.” “.
There are three official fan clubs for the group in Vietnam, each comprising thousands of members. They all post frequent artist schedule updates and hold charity events on behalf of the artists.
Having such a fan base, the band’s shows in Vietnam were inevitably highly anticipated.
Independent observer Touring Data reported that Blackpink generated $163.8 million in revenue with more than 900,000 tickets sold for its 40-show “Born Pink” world tour. This means that the group made more than $4 million in personal profit and averaged around 22,600 spectators at each show. However, these numbers may be disputed as revenues were not reported for nearly 30 of the shows.
Either way, the girl group global sensation is now known for breaking the girl group’s iconic Spice Girls tour record by generating $78.2 million via approximately 700,000 attendees on their Spice World Tour. 2019.
Blackpink wasn’t the first K-pop superstar to visit Vietnam. Famous names like SNSD, T-ara and 2NE1 all played in Vietnam, but local interest was much less back then.
It is commonly believed that Blackpink was created by YG to target international markets as each member of the group is from a different country.
Born and raised in Thailand, Lisa helped open the door to the Southeast Asian region.
Meanwhile, Rosé was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. Jennie was born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand. Jisoo is the only South Korean born and raised, and she is also the only member who is not completely fluent in English.
Global language fluency has helped the group communicate in interviews and broadened the appeal of their songs as they can sing and rap in both English and Korean.
Blackpink’s music also often follows the formulas of traditional Western pop songs. The Portal Kocca newspaper once said that one of the contributing factors to the success of Blackpink songs are the English catchphrases sometimes embedded in their lyrics.
Carefully structured choreography is another appealing aspect of Blackpink.
In addition, the band’s professional entourage also played a key role in the success of their concerts.
Some 80% of the sound and lighting equipment used in their shows in Vietnam was imported, with the aim of providing attendees with the most advanced experience available.
Star V-pop (Vietnamese pop) combo DTAP said the show they attended was “very satisfying.” They said they learned a lot from the show: “The mixed versions of the 20 songs played throughout the show contain elements of updated music trends, which satisfies the fans.”
The well-planned entrance process at the stadium left no space for messy check-ins. Security was also guaranteed.
The group’s concerts filled a gap in which Hanoi residents were not offered large-scale entertainment events.
Meanwhile, China was not a destination on the “Born Pink” route, so crowds of Chinese fans flocked to neighboring Vietnam for the concerts.
Rumors that the group may be terminating their contract soon have also motivated fans to prioritize the girls before they go their separate ways.
Vietnam’s purchasing power has also increased over the past decade, and living conditions and standards have risen. As such, locals have generally become more willing to spend more on entertainment.
This was not the case when K-pop started to catch on in Vietnam.
Asked about the plans for a concert of “idol group” DBSK Vietnam in 2012, the spokesperson of the group’s agency said: “We initially had Vietnam as one of the stages of the tour. But depending on the market conditions, we think it will be difficult to organize another event with DBSK in Vietnam.”
In 2013, an event featuring South Korean actor Lee Min Ho in Hanoi was canceled due to underselling. Various events featuring singer PSY and idol group T-ara faced similar situations.
This is partly why Vietnamese musicians Huy Tuan and Duong Khac Linh believe Blackpink Hanoi shows are a positive sign for the potential of the Vietnamese market in the eyes of South Korean artists.
They are not the only ones encouraged by this trend.
“While manufacturing has long been a bridge between Vietnam and South Korea, the cultural wave, or ‘hallyu’ in Korean, is now also seen as a business opportunity,” wrote Nikkei Asia with optimism.
