“They called it a ‘K-pop graveyard’...” 80,000 seats sell out in 10 minutes as BigBang shakes Hanoi [Southeast Asia in Focus]

[HANOI, Vietnam — Correspondent Kim Joon-seok]“Hanoi, are you ready?”On the first day of the BigBang World Tour Concert (XX: COSMOS) 2026–2027 in Hanoi, held at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam, on the 24th, member Daesung shouted this to fire up the crowd, and around 40,000 fans in the stadium waved yellow BIGBANG Official Light Sticks and cheered wildly. Hanoi was the only city in Southeast Asia on this BigBang world tour to host concerts over two days. The show opened with “Fantastic Baby.” The set list of more than 30 songs captivated Hanoi fans with hits such as “Loser (LOSER),” “Blue (BLUE),” “Lies,” “Haru Haru,” “Bad Boy (BAD BOY)” and “IF YOU (If You),” along with newer tracks “BBIG” and “Home Sweet Home,” as well as solo songs by each member.
The concert reached its climax when G-Dragon performed a guitar-smashing stunt. The roar filling the stadium seemed to reach the sky. Even after the show ended, fans could not bring themselves to leave, repeatedly singing “Don’t look back, just leave...” from “Haru Haru” together. Moved by their passionate cheers, BigBang walked back onto the stage and responded with encore songs, including “Sunset Glow,” bringing the show to a spectacular finale. Despite having no Korean subtitles, the audience sang along perfectly to all 30 songs, proving their deep affection for BigBang and unwavering fandom across borders.
Downtown Hanoi was swept up in the “BigBang effect” as the concert took place. Around My Dinh National Stadium, Grab fares surged to three or four times their usual level before and after the show, and severe traffic congestion ensued. The Sheraton hotel, just 500 meters from the stadium, was already fully booked. Huong, a 36-year-old devoted fan, told the local newspaper Lao Dong that she had spent 100 million dong (about 5.12 million won) just to attend the concert, including the ticket. Ticket prices ranged from 1 million dong (about 53,000 won) to 10.5 million dong (about 560,000 won)—as much as Vietnam’s average monthly salary—but did not dampen fans’ enthusiasm. According to organizers VPBank and Carpa, all 80,000 seats for the two days sold out within 10 minutes of tickets going on sale.
The passionate cheers and personal stories of local fans the reporter met that day revealed their deep affection for BigBang, transcending borders.
Mi, an office worker in her 20s who has been a fan since BigBang’s early days, smiled as she said, “I went through all the difficult moments of my school years with BigBang,” and “I’ve been practicing Korean phrases used at concerts so I can really enjoy this one.” She had especially high praise for G-Dragon (GD), saying, “Beyond being a singer or rapper, he’s an artist who leads fashion and culture, and I deeply respect him as a person.” She also revealed her particular devotion as a fan, saying that listening to “Lies” and “Haru Haru,” songs that are both sad and upbeat, helps her relieve stress.
Min, an office worker in her 20s who first discovered BigBang while studying in Korea during a language-training program in 2015, said the group’s greatest appeal was that “they’re more than just an idol group—they’re skilled artists who fully showcase their own music and dance.” She added, “I like Taeyang’s wonderful vocal tone the most,” and said, “I love every BigBang song so much that I can’t pick just one.”
Hwa, an office worker in her 30s who became a devoted fan after encountering Korean culture upon entering university, said she was “captivated by the fact that they present new music unlike anything the world has heard before.” She added, “I get so much energy whenever I listen to songs with highly addictive, repetitive choruses, like ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and ‘Last Farewell.’”
Despite the intense K-pop fever across Southeast Asia, Vietnam had long been considered a “graveyard” for the K-pop concert market because of its weak ticket-selling power. But, fueled by rapid economic growth and rising incomes in recent years, Vietnam has now completely transformed into a major market driving the K-pop industry. When girl group BLACKPINK held two Hanoi concerts in 2023 as part of its “Born Pink World Tour,” more than 170,000 visitors came to Hanoi during the concert period, including over 30,000 foreign tourists. The concerts generated economic benefits, with tourism revenue reaching about 630 billion dong (approximately 32.193 billion won) and around 65% of foreign tourists staying in Hanoi.
The economic impact of this BigBang concert is estimated to be even greater, at 800 billion dong (approximately 40.88 billion won). BigBang merchandise sold out much faster than organizers had expected, underscoring the excitement at the venue.
Yoon Hwi, CEO of Carpa, a co-organizer, emphasized, “With Vietnam’s rapid economic growth, the ticket-buying power of local audiences has grown dramatically.” He added, “The Vietnamese government is also paying close attention to the impact of the cultural and tourism industries, so the concert market’s growth potential is virtually limitless.”[Southeast Asia in Focus] is a section that provides vivid, in-depth coverage from the region of major issues and behind-the-scenes news from Southeast Asia, which is emerging as a key hub for global supply chains and diplomacy and security.
[email protected] Kim Joon-seok Reporter