Chinese fans of SM Entertainment girl group aespa are contemplating a boycott of their upcoming comeback with their first studio album Armageddon.
The potential boycott stems from two primary grievances concerning the band’s potential offensive scheduled concerts in Japan and the choice of venues in Hong Kong and Macau.
| SM Entertainment
The first issue centers around the concert date set for July 7 at the Fukuoka Arena in Japan. July 7 holds historical significance as it marks the anniversary of events from the Sino-Japanese war, regarded as a day of mourning in China. Thus, the group’s Chinese fanbase — which is known to significantly contribute to the group’s album sales — has found the scheduling insensitive.
| SM Entertainment
The sentiment grows even stronger given the presence of Ningning, the group’s sole Chinese member. Her performing a concert in Japan during such a significant date would be greatly frowned upon in China, according to the fans.
| @imnotningning/Instagram
The second point of contention involves the capacity of the venues chosen for the concerts in Hong Kong and Macau, which can hold only 5,000 and 2,800 attendees, respectively. Fans argue that these venues do not reflect the group’s massive popularity in China, potentially leaving many supporters unable to attend.
240429 2024 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK : PARALLEL LINE Current Venue List
Seoul: Jamsil Indoor Stadium
Hong Kong: AsiaWorld-Expo Hall 10
Taipei: NTSU Arena
Sydney: Qudos Bank Arena
Melbourne: Rod Laver Arena
Macau: Macau Studio City Event Center
Fukuoka: Marine Messe… pic.twitter.com/Jtz4Ea54lF
— aespa International (@aespaintl) April 29, 2024
The brewing discontent has gained considerable traction on Weibo, turning into a trending topic as fans voice their concerns. The discourse was ignited by announcements from four major aespa fan sites, each with substantial followings in the hundreds of thousands. Among the shared concerns, fans are particularly vocal about the implications for Ningning, fearing she will face harsh criticism if she performs on July 7 in Japan.
“My gosh, having a concert in Japan on July 7th? If the Chinese member really participates in it, then she’s totally going to get flamed.” “I support the protection efforts and the changing of the concert date. I don’t even want to imagine how Ningning’s going to get flamed in China if she participates in it.” “I support changing the date for aespa’s group concert (Fukuoka, Japan.)” | Weibo
It remains to be seen whether SM Entertainment will respond to the fans concerns and make the requested changes.
