G-Dragon's Bangkok concert cancelled amid fan protest over agency's tour mismanagement
South Korean singer G-Dragon was originally scheduled to perform at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Aug 2.
SEOUL - G-Dragon's Ubermensch world tour stop in Bangkok has been cancelled, fueling growing frustration among fans over the disorganised rollout of the South Korean singer's highly anticipated comeback tour.
Concert organiser AEG Presents Asia announced on July 10 that the show, originally scheduled for Aug 2 at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, had been called off due to 'unforeseen circumstances'.
The promoter issued an apology for the inconvenience and disappointment, but failed to provide a specific reason for the cancellation.
The sudden change has deepened discontent among fans, many of whom had already raised concerns over the handling of the tour by the singer's agency, Galaxy, especially regarding the Thailand stop.
These concerns stem partly from Galaxy's identity as an entertainment-technology company that primarily focuses on metaverse and AI sectors, rather than traditional entertainment management.
Originally, the Bangkok concert was scheduled at an outdoor venue during the country's rainy season — one of the hottest and most humid times of the year.
Even as the date neared, ticketing and seating information had not been provided, causing anxiety and criticism from both domestic and international fans.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties
World Trump to use presidential authority to send weapons to Ukraine, sources say
Opinion Whisper it softly, there's a new Japan rising
Business Popiah king Sam Goi makes $123.5 million offer to buy rest of PSC
Business Aster Chemicals in talks to buy Esso petrol stations in Singapore: Sources
World The $12.8m bag: Original Birkin smashes records at Paris auction
Asia Tariffs overshadow diplomacy as Asean foreign ministers press on with meetings
Singapore What 'skills first' really means: Panellists at SkillsFuture Forum talk culture, systems, mindsets
The Bangkok show is the latest flashpoint in a months of controversies surrounding Galaxy's management of
G-Dragon's comeback .
From July 8 to 10, fans organised a truck protest near the company's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, calling for accountability and transparency.
The video messages aired on the truck screens accused the agency of last-minute planning, opaque operations and failing to prioritise premium fan club members in ticket sales.
At the heart of the discontent is the exclusive presale structure for the concerts.
Despite being paid members of the official fan club, many fans found that VIP tickets for overseas concerts were released first through third-party platforms. Some international fans began questioning the value of fan club membership.
Fans have also criticised the choice of small venues in cities such as Macao, Jakarta and Melbourne, which failed to meet local demand.
Additional shows were often added with little notice, resulting in grueling three-day performance schedules for the artist. Fans raised concerns about the potential impact on G-Dragon's health and the lack of long-term planning.
The US and European legs of the tour have not been spared controversy.
Concerts were announced only two months in advance — a tight timeline for destinations requiring travel visas — and so far, Paris remains the only confirmed city in Europe. This has sparked speculation about whether the company has struggled to secure venues.
An executive from one of the major K-pop agencies said that not all responsibility lies with Galaxy.
'World tour venues are usually booked by local or global promoters. It's likely that G-Dragon didn't hand over full control to Galaxy. The tour seems rushed, perhaps because he wanted to meet as many fans as possible in a short time following his album release,' the executive said.
Still, the executive acknowledged that Galaxy does not have a strong track record in music management.
'They've never been known for managing artists, and G-Dragon should have been aware of that. This was his decision, and it came with risks.'
Fans have also voiced dissatisfaction with the agency's legal follow-through.
Galaxy announced in April that it would pursue legal action against malicious online posts, but three months on, fans say there has been no progress or updates. Some question whether the agency is genuinely committed to protecting the artist.
Adding to the frustration is the perception that Galaxy has been using G-Dragon's image to promote itself.
Galaxy CEO Choi Yong-ho has appeared frequently in media and marketing tied to the artist's activities, leading some fans to accuse the agency of prioritising brand exposure over looking after its artist.
Galaxy has yet to release a statement in response to the cancellation or fan protests.
Despite the Bangkok setback, he is still scheduled to perform in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Newark, Los Angeles and Paris as part of the ongoing tour.
G-Dragon joined Galaxy Corporation in November 2023 after leaving YG Entertainment. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
ST and Uniqlo launch design contest for Singapore stories T-shirt collection
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The T-shirt design contest is open to all local residents with a Singapore story to tell. SINGAPORE - The Straits Times and Uniqlo have partnered to immortalise three Singapore stories in a limited series, print-on-demand T-shirt collection. The Japanese apparel giant and the newspaper have launched a T-shirt design contest open to all local residents with a Singapore story to tell, as part of a series of events to mark ST's 180th anniversary this year. The newspaper was first published on July 15, 1845. Submissions, which must be original artworks, are open till 11.59pm on Sept 7. Three winners will be announced in November. The winning designs, along with two others contributed by ST artists, will be available for printing at Uniqlo's Jewel, Vivo City and Orchard Central stores at $19.90 in kids' sizing or $29.90 for adults. The sample designs by the ST artists are titled 'Capturing the rhythm of life and textures of our home', and 'Highlighting the native species of flora and fauna that can be found in Singapore'. The winners will receive $600 Uniqlo vouchers in their Uniqlo apps, a one-year ST digital subscription valued at $358.80 and limited-edition ST180 merchandise. ST Editor Jaime Ho said: 'For much of this year, as we celebrate our 180th anniversary, The Straits Times has been working with Singaporeans on ' Telling Your Singapore Story '. 'I'm glad to be able to continue this by inviting readers to express their uniquely Singapore stories through art. I look forward to seeing Singaporeans' creativity come alive, and eventually unveiling the winning designs.' Said marketing director of Uniqlo Singapore Paulene Ong: 'Uniqlo Singapore is proud to partner with The Straits Times to invite Singaporeans to share their stories. 'Guided by our LifeWear philosophy – high-quality everyday clothing designed to make life better – we believe that being part of Singaporeans' daily lives is at the heart of what we do. 'We are excited to discover the stories and creativity that emerge through this initiative, and we look forward to showcasing their designs across our channels.' Anyone who lives in Singapore is eligible to participate in the contest, but those younger than 18 years old must have the consent of their parent or guardian. All contestants must be Uniqlo app members. Winners must agree to be interviewed, photographed and filmed by The Straits Times. Designs can be done in any medium, including digital or hand-drawn illustrations, so long as generative artificial intelligence (AI) is not used. AI-generated works will be disqualified.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Darth Vader's lightsaber set to fetch over $3m at auction
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Star Wars villain Darth Vader (left) used the lightsaber (right) to chop off Luke Skywalker's hand in The Empire Strikes Back. LONDON - Darth Vader's lightsaber, used to chop off Luke Skywalker's hand in Star Wars classic The Empire Strikes Back, went on display in London on Aug 6, ahead of its US sale in September. The prop has been described as the 'Holy Grail' for Star Wars fans, with millions prepared to end up like Skywalker and give their right arm to own the iconic weapon. Reflecting that passion, it is predicted to fetch up to US$3 million (S$3.8 million) went it goes on sale in Los Angeles in September. 'It's just an amazing piece of film history,' Mr Brandon Alinger, chief operating officer of the Propstore auction house selling the item, told AFP at a London preview of the sale's most important lots. 'Is there any villain as significant, as memorable as Darth Vader? I don't think so, and this is his weapon,' he added. Darth Vader wielded the 'energy sword' during legendary fight scenes in both The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return Of The Jedi (1983). David Prowse, the actor behind Vader's mask, and stuntman Bob Anderson actually used two of the devices. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore MRT track issue causes 5-hour delay; Jeffrey Siow says 'we can and will do better' Singapore ST Explains: What is a track point fault and why does it cause lengthy train disruptions? Singapore Three people taken to hospital after fire in Punggol executive condominium Singapore Elderly man found dead in SingPost Centre stairwell could have been in confused state: Coroner Singapore 81 primary schools to hold ballot for Phase 2C of Primary 1 registration Singapore S'pore and Indonesia have discussed jointly developing military training facilities: Chan Chun Sing Singapore Two workers died after being hit by flying gas cylinders in separate incidents in 2025 Sport Young Lions and distance runner Soh Rui Yong out of SEA Games contingent One without a blade was clipped to the villain's belt while the other, which had a wooden blade attached, was used for the fight scenes. It is the battle-scarred item, albeit without the blade, that is up for sale, having been in the hands of a US individual for 40 years. 'Somebody, literally, who Googled 'sell Star Wars film prop' came to us and said, 'I've got this thing to sell', and we were just floored,' explained Propstore founder Stephen Lane. 'There was no understanding that this thing even still existed – it's a brand new discovery, which is incredibly exciting for Star Wars collectors.' He compared its significance to the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in 1939 classic The Wizard Of Oz. Experts verified its authenticity by matching its dents and scratches to those seen on film. 'Look at the big dent on the back, that's probably from (Luke Skywalker actor) Mark Hamill's lightsaber blade,' Mr Alinger explained while showing the device to AFP. While now likely worth millions, the item is actually an old camera-flash attachment with spare parts, such as the bubbles from behind a calculator pad, stuck on. Other items to be sold during the three-day auction, taking place Sept 4-6, include the bullwhip, belt and holster used by Harrison Ford in 1989's Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. Indiana Jones' eight-foot bullwhip is also up for sale. PHOTO: EPA One collector will also get their hands on a neuralyzer used by Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) to erase memories in Men In Black (1997). 'This is used in the opening scene of the film,' explained Mr Ibrahim Faraj, consignments manager at Propstore in the UK. The item, whose LED display still works, is expected to sell for up to US$150,000. AFP
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Straits Times
Russian mum influencer breaks back trying Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Influencer Mariana Vasiuc tried to keep her balance on one foot on a tub of baby formula stacked on top of an overturned saucepan atop a countertop. Just eight weeks after giving birth, a 32-year-old Russian mum influencer tried the Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge that has taken TikTok by storm in recent weeks – and failed spectacularly. She broke her back. Yet, Ms Mariana Vasiuc said on social media it had all been worth it because it had, in a way, made her even more popular than if she had succeeded in the acrobatic act. In a video she posted on Instagram on Aug 1 that had been seen over 500,000 times and reposted many times on TikTok, Ms Vasiuc can be seen trying to keep her balance – while wearing a pair of high heels and sitting cross-legged – on one foot on a tub of baby formula stacked on top of an overturned saucepan atop a countertop. Off to the side, someone is holding her right hand, as she holds another tub of baby formula with her other hand. As soon as she lets go of the hand , however, she loses her balance and falls – back first – off to one corner of the table. In a since-deleted caption on her Instagram post, Ms Vasiuc said she sustained a compression flexion fracture: a vertebra – or a bone in the spinal column – is compressed or squashed to a forward-bending force. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Recent rail disruptions disappointing and 'we can and will do better': Jeffrey Siow Singapore ST Explains: What is a track point fault and why does it cause lengthy train disruptions? Singapore 'It's either my life or the dog's': NSF rescues lost dog which was hit by car in Bedok Singapore 81 primary schools to hold ballot for Phase 2C of Primary 1 registration Sport Young Lions and distance runner Soh Rui Yong out of SEA Games contingent Singapore Two workers died after being hit by flying gas cylinders in separate incidents in 2025 Singapore 19 drivers nabbed over illegal ride-hailing services in Singapore and across border with Malaysia Singapore Man recruited victim to open bank account, forced him to drink urine after account was frozen 'Irony? Karma? Or just life, which always tests our strength at the most unexpected moment,' she wrote lightheartedly in the caption. Ms Vasiuc was hopping on a viral TikTok trend that sprouted from a 2013 music video showing hip-hop artiste Nicki Minaj striking an iconic pose: She crouches poolside in sky-high heels with one leg crossed over the other, balancing her weight on one foot. Influencers trying to amass views and likes and sell products have upped the ante by replicating the pose on absurdly unstable platforms – stacks of Spam cans, champagne bottles, traffic cones, even surfboards – while wearing high‑heeled stilettos. One viral video, with over 61.7 million views, shows a nail salon worker balancing in gold stilettos on the caps of two bottles of nail polish. Ms Vasiuc wrote in a follow-up post on Aug 4 that because of her spectacular fall, she is now a 'popular person'. 'More than 50 people sent me my reel from different publications today,' she said. 'I'm doing great, following the guidelines and now living in 'star' status.' Her Aug 4 post already had over 600,000 views as of Aug 6. It did not seem to matter to her that most of those who saw her video seemed to be mocking her. 'How do you say 'imbecile' in Russian?' one asked on Instagram. 'I bet the baby daddy is re-evaluating his choices,' said another. Others took a shot at the challenge itself. 'Here we are teaching our kids not to follow stupid social media trends, and yet here is an 'adult' doing it,' said one. Some wished her a smooth recovery. 'You are brave,' said a more sympathetic commenter.
