When the popstars arrive this weekend, they will drive past Hyundai showrooms, CJ Group theaters and other South Korean names ubiquitous all across Vietnam.
The influence of the Korean Wave, or “hallyu,” extends to a number of areas in Vietnam: entertainment, business, fashion, and even football.
Economic ties between the two countries run deep.
South Korea has been either the biggest or second biggest investor in Vietnam almost every year for more than a decade, and its nationals populate Korea Town in Ho Chi Minh City’s posh southern district and other pockets around the country, according to Nikkei Asia.
While manufacturing has long been a bridge between Vietnam and South Korea, the K-wave is now seen as a business opportunity as well.
Organizing a big show like Blackpink’s is “not easy,” according to the Hanoi city government, which said the two nights of concerts would show that Vietnam is open for tourism, an industry still struggling post-Covid.
The upcoming Blackpink concert will give Vietnam its biggest dose of K-pop so far to the delight of the massive local fandom.
According to Korea Foundation, last year the biggest spike in the number of hallyu fans, 223%, came from Vietnam.
Local fans and music lovers have been willing to splash out on Blackpink. While a VIP ticket costs a minimum wage earner more than a month’s pay, the number of rich Vietnamese jumped by 110% between 2016 and 2021, according to the Knight Frank Wealth Report.
Blackpink’s first-ever show in Hanoi will take place on July 29 and 30. This will be the group’s last stop in Asia on its Born Pink world tour.
Around 36,000 people are expected to flock to the My Dinh National Stadium on Saturday and 31,000 on Sunday.
Preparations for the show are now complete.
The tour has grossed around $163.8 million so far, with more than 900,000 tickets sold.
This makes Born Pink’s the highest-grossing girl group tour of all time, surpassing the previous record set by Spice Girls ($78.2 million).
