BigBang in Hanoi: 90,000 fans party and pay scalper prices while the country tightens its belt

What happened

South Korean band BigBang played Vietnam on an official tour for the first time on October 24 and 25. According to the organisers, around 90,000 people attended the two nights at My Dinh National Stadium; Tuoi Tre put the first night alone at about 45,000. G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung are marking the group's 20th anniversary with the world tour, and each show ran for almost three hours.

Official seat prices ranged from roughly one to 3.5 million dong, with the top VIP package at 10.5 million. On the black market, VnExpress reported pairs in a cheaper category offered for about 27 million dong and VIP pairs for up to 75 million. Organisers deployed nearly 2,000 security staff for the second night.

At the same time, VnExpress reported that consumer spending in Vietnam grew 13.4 percent in nominal terms but only 7.8 percent in real terms, well below overall economic growth. Online sales rose mainly because of higher prices, while the number of items sold has been nearly flat for four quarters. Inflation averaged 4.52 percent in the first nine months.

The mood on the ground

Inside the stadium the mood was exuberant and nostalgic. Tens of thousands sang along to old hits, and VnExpress said the song "Haru Haru" drew the loudest cheers; some long-time fans cried during the ballads. When the musicians spoke a few words of Vietnamese and finally knelt on stage to say thank you, the crowd erupted. After the first concert many refused to go home and kept singing outside the stadium.

The party started at the gates: fans arrived with elaborate make-up and outfits styled after G-Dragon, some having spent hours with a make-up artist. One visitor from Hue spent more than 20 million dong on tickets, accommodation and travel, VnExpress reported.

Not everyone could join in. Those without tickets were frustrated by scalper prices. Some waited until just before showtime hoping for cheaper offers, others deliberately refused and soaked up the atmosphere outside the fence, where hundreds danced and sang on the first night.

Away from the stadium, daily life is more sober. Experts told VnExpress that people have not stopped spending, but buy in a more controlled way and save more because they are unsure about future jobs and incomes.

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