BANGKOK — Korean-Japanese pop group Iz*One is set to perform in Bangkok in their first tour of Asia, according to event organizers. But some fans of the hybrid J-K-pop assemble have bridled at the venue chosen.
Writing in an online post yesterday, StarShowTH said the all-girl band will take the stage at The Mall Bangkapi’s MCC Hall on June 16, 2019. Ticket prices and seating information have yet to be announced.
First, there are concerns that the MCC Hall – which only has about 4,000 seats – will be too small for the group’s legions of fans, also known as Wizone. Then there’s the perpetual traffic congestion, with the mall located in a dense eastern residential area. There are no nearby metro or skytrain stations.
“Their first concert in Thailand will be held in a very cramped space. Hard to get to and limited range of food,” @NerdTS tweeted under the hashtag #IZONEinBKK. “It’s horrible because I want them to have a good impression of Thailand from their first concert here.”
“Wizone will have to struggle for air to breathe inside the MCC Hall,” @JIIIBCherokee tweeted.
สาร้องหนักมาก วจวต้องแย่งอากาศหายใจกันใน MCC Hall เดอะมอลล์บางกะปิ ถนนลาดพร้าว แขวงคลองจั่น 🤤🤤🤤🤤 #IZONEinBKK #IZONE pic.twitter.com/48QQUyQL4b
— ต่อไปจะอยู่เงียบๆ (@JIIIBCherokee) April 25, 2019
The venue is also infamously frequented by less-than-desirable crowds, such as youth biker gangs or dek van.
“The Mall Bangkapi is already notorious for the van and robbers. It’s their prime spot,” @NaKjn_phs tweeted.
Iz*One was formed by 12 winners of a Korean reality TV competition called Produce48, with candidates comprising K-pop artists from Korea and idols from Japan’s AKB48 group.
The nine Korean members are Jang Won-young, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Ye-na, Ahn Yu-jin, Kwon Eun-bi, Kang Hye-won, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju and Lee Chae-yeon. The Japanese trio consists of Hitomi Honda, Nako Yabuki, and Sakura Miyawaki.
