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Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
At least $26,000 lost in about 2 weeks to Blackpink concert ticket scams
It will be the group's first world tour since the Born Pink tour, which ran from October 2022 to September 2023. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT At least $26,000 lost in about 2 weeks to Blackpink concert ticket scams SINGAPORE – At least $26,000 has been lost in about two weeks to scams over fake concert tickets to shows by K-pop girl group Blackpink. The police said on June 24 that there were at least 18 reported cases in which victims bought fake concert tickets through third-party platforms. The K-pop quartet will stage two shows – on Nov 29 and 30 – at the National Stadium in November as part of their highly anticipated Deadline world tour. The police said that victims would respond to advertisements or listings of concert tickets for sale on online platforms such as Telegram, Carousell, X, Facebook Messenger, and Xiaohongshu. Some scammers would provide screenshots or videos of fake tickets or receipts to convince the victims that the tickets were authentic. Scammers would also claim that ticket sales were time-sensitive or limited in quantity and promise to deliver the tickets to the victims after successful payment. There were at least 18 reported cases in which victims bought fake concert tickets through third-party platforms. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE In some cases, when victims did not receive their concert tickets, scammers would request additional payments by claiming that they did not receive the payments made by the victims. It was only when the scammers became uncontactable or did not deliver the tickets that the victims realised they had been taken for a ride. The police said th at at least 128 scam reports were lodged in 2023 in relation to Blackpink's Born Pink concerts in Singapore, with total losses amounting to at least $206,000. The victims were mostly female Singaporean students aged between 10 and 29. The police added that under the terms and conditions of the sale of Blackpink concert tickets in Singapore, the tickets cannot be transferred or resold. Those who are found to have purchased resale tickets will be turned away from the concert at the Singapore Sports Hub, where the National Stadium is located, with no refund. The police have also reached out to platforms such as Carousell, Facebook Marketplace and TikTok to take down listings of resale tickets. The police advise the public to download the ScamShield app and to purchase tickets to the Blackpink concert from only Ticketmaster, the authorised platform for ticketing services. The public can also report the fraudulent advertisements. To learn how to stay safe from scams, go to or call the ScamShield helpline on 1799. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Concert review: K-pop girl group Babymonster cheered on by growing fan base
K-pop girl group Babymonster – (from left) Asa, Rora, Chiquita, Ahyeon, Pharita and Ruka – played to a sold-out crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 17. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT 2025 Babymonster 1st World Tour: Hello Monsters In Singapore Singapore Indoor Stadium May 17, 6pm What a difference a year makes. If you had caught K-pop septet Babymonster's debut Singapore show in June 2024, you would be amazed by how much their fan base has grown since. The girl group sold out their May 17 concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, a larger venue than The Star Vista where they last played to around 5,000 fans. They also performed at the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix in September 2024. The demographic of their fan base has also diversified, based on this writer's observations. The about 9,000-strong audience of the 2025 concert included a more even gender mix, and ranged from primary school children to adults in their 30s, compared with their predominantly teenage female audience earlier. The girl group have worked non-stop to win hearts since they were officially formed in 2024, and celebrated their first anniversary on April 1. Now aged 16 to 23, the seven members were assembled from three countries by K-pop agency YG Entertainment. They are Ahyeon, Rami and Rora from South Korea, Asa and Ruka from Japan, as well as Chiquita and Pharita from Thailand. Their first world tour kicked off in Seoul in January, and went to New Jersey and Los Angeles in the United States and five Japanese cities, before arriving in Singapore, their first stop in South-east Asia. Babymonster were quick to proclaim their love for Singapore fans or Monstiez, as they are known. 'It's so good to be back,' Rora said, after they opened the show with two high-energy tracks, Drip and Batter Up. But as Ahyeon told the packed stadium: 'We're very sad that Rami couldn't join us this time.' Babymonster opened the show with two high-energy tracks, Drip and Batter Up. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT YG Entertainment had announced on May 9 that Rami would not take part in the remaining stops of the Asian leg of Babymonster's world tour 'due to health-related reasons'. While the agency did not elaborate on her condition, it revealed that the 17-year-old has been undergoing treatment since her debut. But as her condition has not improved, 'medical professionals have advised that she suspend all activities and take absolute rest for the time being', it said in a statement. The statement added: 'Even in the face of this unexpected situation, the six remaining members are more determined than ever to successfully complete their meetings with fans across Asia.' That the members did, as they held their audience captive with a concert which was backed by a four-piece band and clocked in at just under two hours. Babymonster held their audience captive with a concert which was backed by a four-piece band. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT Besides delivering hits such as Sheesh, Forever and Love In My Heart, they also took turns to sing solos. Chiquita, for instance, belted out a rendition of American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo's Traitor (2021), while Pharita hit all the high notes in What Other People Say (2021), a duet by Australian singer-songwriter Sam Fischer and American singer Demi Lovato. Meanwhile, Asa and Ruka performed Woke Up In Tokyo, their quirky duet from the group's first full-length album Drip released in November 2024. Babymonster covered Blackpink's hits Kill This Love and As If It's Your Last for the first time on their concert tour. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT But the real treat for fans came when the group covered Kill This Love (2019) and As If It's Your Last (2017), two dance-pop numbers by the massively popular quartet Blackpink, which are also managed by YG Entertainment. This was Babymonster's first time performing these cover songs on the concert tour, Ahyeon said. Several members, including Ruka, revealed during their trainee period that Blackpink served as their inspiration to pursue a K-pop career. The concert also featured a recap with clips from Last Evaluation, an eight-episode YouTube reality series released in March 2023, which documented Babymonster's journey as K-pop trainees. Babymonster's Singapore concert drew a good gender mix of fans, and ranged from primary school children to adults in their 30s. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT With the group's dedication and their agency's extensive promotion, there is no doubt that Babymonster will reach greater heights, and perhaps even match up to Blackpink's fame. As the show came to an end, Asa summed up the sentiments of her group mates and fans when she said: 'Next time, I hope we can be back, with all seven of us.' K-pop girl group Babymonster took photos with their fans at their sold-out concert in the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 17. PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
