Award Banner
Award Banner

'The organisers should've been prepared': Fans fly to Singapore for Yuewen Music Festival but idols' performances cancelled due to bad weather

'The organisers should've been prepared': Fans fly to Singapore for Yuewen Music Festival but idols' performances cancelled due to bad weather
Concert-goers at the Yuewen Music Festival on Dec 28 and 29 were disappointed after multiple issues occurred during the event.
PHOTO: Instagram/Yuewen Official, AsiaOne/Yeo Shu Hui

They flew six hours from China to Singapore for Kino and Wooseok's 30-minute set at Yuewen Music Festival yesterday (Dec 29), but piano teacher Vera Ji and executive Kyul Li didn't get one glimpse of the idols from the South Korean boy band Pentagon.

Due to the heavy downpour as well as lightning warnings, some of the talents scheduled to perform at the open-air event yesterday had their sets cancelled. Apart from Kino and Wooseok, Thai singer-actor Win and local DJ Reiko Zhang also didn't get to perform.

Thai singer-actor Nanon only performed one song.

"We feel so sad now," Vera, 27, told AsiaOne at Siloso Beach, where the event was held, yesterday.

She added: "The event organisers shouldn't have organised it outdoors during this time of the year knowing it's the rainy season."

Kyul, 29, shared: "The organisers should've been prepared. I just think that they didn't have any backup plans. Even if fans wanted to leave (to seek shelter), they were also not sure where to head to. Even these shelters are not enough. I just feel helpless and am thinking of getting a refund."

Both had paid around $320 each for their premium ticket.

The festival, which took place on Dec 28 and 29 and will run its last day on Dec 31, was organised by Yuewen Group, an entertainment platform from China.

AsiaOne waited together with more than 50 concert-goers at Italian restaurant Trapizza, the designated sheltered area for premium ticket-holders, during the downpour from about 4.30pm to 6pm.

More than 50 premium ticket-holders took shelter at the Italian restaurant Trapizza during the heavy rain at Yuewen Music Festival on Dec 29, 2024. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Yeo Shu Hui

Vera had also hoped that all the artistes' sets could be shortened so everyone would have a chance to perform, even if it was just for a song.

Sales executive Abby Chen, who flew in from Taiwan to see Kino and Wooseok, said: "Even if their performance was cancelled, the organisers should have announced it, instead of keeping fans waiting. They only announced when the next performance would start, but did not state that the earlier performances were cancelled."

The 28-year-old, who met Vera and Kyul at the event, added: "I want a refund. We came here for them in the first place… and were prepared to leave after Kino and Wooseok's performance."

"The lightning warning can't be helped, but they shouldn't have just cut away all of our artistes' performance time," Kyul added.

The three fans, who told us they are flying off on Dec 30, left the music festival in disappointment shortly after this interview.

Stuck outside venue while performances resumed

Following the evacuation, a large crowd was stuck outside the venue waiting to re-enter while the festival resumed.
PHOTO: Screengrab/Telegram/Yuewen Music Fest SG 2024, AsiaOne/Nuriyah Fatin

They weren't the only ones with grievances. While concert-goers we spoke to and those who commented online understood weather conditions cannot be controlled, they were unhappy with how things were managed and organised.

Nari Byun, who attended the first day of the festival on Dec 28 for the K-pop girl group Kiss of Life, initially thought the event would be a breeze but said things went wrong from the get-go.

"Even though we paid for premium passes, there were only three tables to do our bag checks and no one was ushering us to which lane we should go to, causing people to either cut the queue or push through, and some tables for the body checks to be completely overloaded," said the 24-year-old Indonesian national who is currently residing in Singapore.

She said it was "obvious" the organisers were unprepared for bad weather conditions.

"The first lightning warning was in the middle of Maggie Chiang's set… They kept giving instructions to evacuate the area to a sheltered area for safety, which we did. We were met with security either trying to drag people out or shouting into people's faces if they refused to budge," she recalled.

"When they gave us the green light to go back in, we quickly made our way back to the entrance only to see a long queue."

She said she was stuck outside while the show resumed, and only managed to enter as Kiss of Life was saying their goodbyes.

"I know the weather changes are beyond anyone's control but the entire event was just unorganised and unruly. I hope Yuewen will put up a proper apology and issue us refunds regarding the mess they caused."

AsiaOne also spoke to the Reddit user who called Yuewen Music Festival "the worst event" he's ever attended. He had gone for the first day of the festival.

The post Chung uploaded on Reddit's Singapore Raw forum. PHOTO: Screengrab/Reddit/Singapore Raw

In his post, he wrote that after the initial lightning warnings and delays, attendees were subjected to 20 minutes of ads before Taiwanese singer Lala Hsu's set, which he felt could have been given to K-pop groups who had to cut their set short.

The Singaporean, who only disclosed his surname Chung, told us: "Sponsors' money is important, but so are the artistes' and patrons' satisfaction. The artistes painstakingly prepared their sets and flew all the way to Singapore only to be told to perform fewer songs than intended."

Singaporean marketing executive Chris Lim went to the first day of the festival and echoed the general sentiment, saying he felt he paid a "premium price for a poorly organised festival" and that the hiccups could've been avoided.

"From what the organisers have put out on their social media accounts, it seems like there's also a lack of accountability for how they failed to meet the expectations of attendees who were looking for a good time, but were instead met with disappointments at every turn," said the 33-year-old, adding that he hoped they will acknowledge the issues and look at "meaningful ways" to compensate affected attendees.

On Dec 29, Yuewen issued a statement on their Instagram account: "Yuewen Music Festival is designed to offer music lovers a unique experience, blending diverse music styles and engaging IPs.

"Due to the recent frequent thunderstorms in Singapore, we need to ensure the safety of all attendees and the quality of the performances. In accordance with local regulations, we have to implement a lightning contingency plan when necessary."

They followed up with a reiteration of their protocol and were berated by netizens in the comments section.

"Wow, not a single sorry for yesterday's mess," wrote one netizen.

"Better make an apology and stop being arrogant thinking you guys did nothing wrong," said another.

Another said their statement felt like a "defensive argument": "The lack of accountability while promoting your event as a fun and successful day is what's pissing everyone off."

AsiaOne has reached out to Yuewen for comment.

Read Also
entertainment
Vicki Zhao announces divorce, says it has been many years since split

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

syarifahsn@asiaone.com

No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.

For more original AsiaOne articles, visit here.

homepage

trending

trending
    How do Trump's tariffs affect you? Here is an explainer
    The rise of Chinese F&B brands in Singapore: What stirs Singaporeans' appetites?
    Hong Kong actor Lee Lung Kei still plans to marry fiancee 37 years younger after her release from prison
    'I was right there just 3cm behind her': Exo's Kai recalls joys of simple life during military service, meeting commuter checking him out online
    Where the parties stand on key issues ahead of GE2025
    GE2025: Balancing need for foreign talent with aspirations of Singaporean workers
    Former NCT idol Lucas to make acting debut in Taiwan
    2 Taiwanese men allegedly part of a crime syndicate charged with cheating
    AI and art: Studio Ghibli-inspired trend sparks debate on ethics and consent
    Edwin Goh proposes to Rachel Wan, both returning to Singapore after 2 years in Australia
    2 GRCs and 1 SMC: This Woodlands junction separates 3 electoral divisions
    Singapore and Malaysia police's video collaboration for Hari Raya goes viral

Singapore

Singapore
    • 21 men in Singapore among 435 arrested in cross-border operation targeting online child sex abuse
    • HSA raids home of woman filmed vaping in train, finds vape pod containing anaesthetic
    • Singapore deploys 34-member emergency medical team to aid Myanmar quake relief efforts
    • PPP's Goh Meng Seng says MPs work 'extra hard' only before elections for votes, Baey Yam Keng hits back
    • Clean-up underway for oil leak from Johor; public advised to avoid water activities at Changi and Pasir Ris beaches
    • Online voting not feasible due to 'voter impersonation' risks: ELD
    • Singapore disappointed with tariffs, will engage US to clarify calculations: DPM Gan
    • 'She should be with her family': Employer gives maid plane ticket, $800 to return to Myanmar and search for missing mum
    • 'He needed something to help him fight,' says man who bought Hokkien mee for dying patient
    • MaNaDr admits to lapses, introduces 1-minute minimum teleconsultation rule

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • 'My brain got so fried up': Gurmit Singh hit by anxiety attack while acting in his 1st Chinese drama
    • Gossip mill: Diana Ser's son to enlist, Takeshi Kaneshiro back after 3 years, agency says late Sulli wasn't forced to film nude scene
    • E-Junkies: The Click Five will consider making new music if upcoming tour goes well
    • 'Blessed beyond measure': Desmond Tan and wife expecting second child
    • Ed Sheeran releases new single Azizam
    • UK police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape, sexual assaults
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme accused of having sex with trafficked women
    • Jim Carrey pays tribute to Val Kilmer's 'grace and courage'
    • Val Kilmer reportedly discussed reprising his role as Batman before his death
    • Sum 41 releases final music video before splitting up

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical to make Asia premiere in Singapore this December
    • A first look: Blue Bottle Coffee's cafe at Raffles City, here's what to expect
    • Life-sized dinosaurs, pre-historic plants: Gardens by the Bay to transform into Jurassic World this May
    • 'The menu is a reflection of us': Singaporean woman and American husband open restaurant selling soul food
    • One Beijing man's quest to keep cooking — and connecting with Americans — on camera
    • The iconic Milo Van beverage is now available in supermarkets
    • Hyundai Santa Fe review: Rugged-looking premium SUV levels up the luxury for Hyundai
    • What to do this weekend (April 4 to 6)
    • Long-range cruiser: GAC E9 luxury MPV with over 1,000km of range now in Singapore
    • Deepal officially arrives in Singapore with opening of new showroom

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game
    • Is it time to get a MacBook at a good price? The M4 MacBook Air says yes
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign
    • Meet the women powering innovation in tech in Singapore and beyond

Money

Money
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • Stocks slump again after China fires back in trade war with tariffs on US goods
    • Trump's tariffs provoke trade war threats, fears of pricier iPhones
    • Australia says US tariffs 'not act of a friend' but rules out reciprocal move
    • South Korea's acting president calls for talks with US over tariffs
    • Southeast Asian nations, hit particularly hard by US tariffs, prep for talks with Trump
    • China urges US to immediately lift tariffs, vows retaliation
    • Trump's tariffs stoke global trade war as China and EU vow response
    • HDB to launch 3,000 balance flats in July 2025: What homebuyers need to know
    • With 61 years left on its lease, this Bishan maisonette matches national record at $1.5m

Latest

Latest
  • Syria welcomes UN resolution to investigate human-rights violations
  • Incoming Greenland PM says talk of annexing island is 'unacceptable'
  • In leaderless South Korea, Trump's tariffs will overshadow snap election
  • Myanmar military limiting aid in earthquake areas, UN says
  • Trump administration sent erroneous email ordering Ukrainians to leave
  • Daily roundup: Singapore and Malaysia police's video collaboration for Hari Raya goes viral — and other top stories today
  • Myanmar junta chief meets foreign leaders in Bangkok as earthquake toll tops 3,100
  • Russian drone barrage hits Kharkiv homes, kills 4 people
  • Trump offers support to French far-right leader Le Pen after her conviction

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Thai woman struggles to evacuate during earthquake while her dog sleeps unfazed
  • Workers painting exterior of Geylang block discover man's skeletal remains in flat
  • 'New, younger' PAP team vows to reclaim WP-controlled Sengkang GRC, says Lam Pin Min
  • New face Jackson Lam 'very good on the ground' and will be asset to Parliament, says Shanmugam
  • Woman who publicised tips on how she evaded GST for luxury purchases fined $18k
  • Powerful quake in Southeast Asia kills several, 81 trapped in Bangkok building rubble
  • Dog dies after being skinned alive in Malaysia, animal welfare group condemns 'barbaric' act
  • Blue for seafood, red for meat: Case partners Koufu to have colour-coded price labels at 'cai fan' stalls
  • WP will campaign for 'responsible and loyal opposition' in GE2025 to earn seats in Parliament, says Pritam
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.