Will Rain draw floods of fans?
The New Paper [Singapore] 22.05.06
Hallyu Buzz by Chang May Choon
Would you pay $500 to see Rain here?
Not the typical downpour, of course, but the strapping Korean hunk whose sizzling wild dance moves are know to reduce fans to puddles.
Most wouldn't fork out such a big sum for an Asian concert - the highest in recent years is $198 for local songbird Stefanie Sun's January gig - but die-hard Rain fan Stephanie Loh would.
"Yes, if I can get super good seats like the first two rows," said the executive secretary, 33.
"Some poeple will say, siao (Hokkien for crazy) ah? But you really have to see him perfrom live to see what's so captivating about him on stage.
"Every concert is different and to see him in Singapore would be a totally different feeling because it's our home ground."
The reason we're asking is this: In a press release sent to Taiwanese media, rain has just announced his intentions to tour 11 Asian countries and hold 35 concerts from December to mark the release of his fourth Korean album.
Singapore is on the list of countries he intends to perform in, as well as our neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, and the usual suspects HongKong, Taiwan and Japan.
But while the news is exhilarating - if it happens, it will be Rain's first concert here and the first time a Korean artiste breaks into the concert circuit here - the reality is not so rosy.
It is common for an artiste to announce he is going to tour in a particular country even before a contract is signed - which seems to be the case here.
The New Paper checked with three major local concert organizers - Unusual Productions, Hype Records and VizPro - but not could confirm plans yet for a Rain concert here. All declined to talk about the feasibility of bringing the K-popster in, but we understand from industry sources that is will be a mean feat.
The main reason: Rain, 24, is deemed too expensive.
Being the top star he is, he will probably command top billing too.
Ticket prices depend largely on production costs and the artiste fee. And that's not including special requests.
For instance, fellow K-popster BoA's managers asked for a private jet as part the tour package, said one insider.
Rain's upcoming Global Project 1st Concert In The World - Rain Asian Tour, which boasts world class performance, equipment and stage effects - is expected to cost 40 billion won ($64m) to produce and attract over one million fans, reported Yonhap News Agency.
A quick calculation shows that each of the 35 shows would have to seat at least 20,000 to 30,000 people to keep ticket prices low.
Since our biggest venue, Singapore Indoor Stadium, can only accommodate 10,000, the concert promoter will have to carefully juggle production costs and sponsorship and estimae how much the audience is willing to pay.
Enough fans?
Whether all the seats can be filled is another challenge.
The Rain Singapore fan club here has just 2,800 members and Rain's last album, It's Raining, shifted only 5,000 copies here.
However, it is believed Rain's drawing power extends far beyond these figures due to his constant media exposure - he was just in New York as one of Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world and will release a new Japanese single next month - and his credible efforts in acting.
He is now in Pusan filming his first movie - a cyborg love story by Old Boy director Park Chan Wook - and his new drama serial, A Love To Kill, has just been release here in VCD.
Still, The New Paper decided to play devil's advocate and throw the question to Rain fans: How much would you pay to see your idol perform here?
Now, we understand that the most-pit rate for Rain's last concert tour is about US$150 ($235), higher that the $198 top-range ticket to local songbird Stefanie Sun's concert here in January.
The reaction we got was mixed.
Only one die-hard fan, Ms. Loh, who has travelled to Bangkok and HongKong to see him perform, would fork out $500, while others gave lower figures.
Administrative executive Gina Wong, 30, said that $350 is reasonable.
'SORE-THROAT EXPERIENCE'
"Every show is a new experience, and we've been waiting for a year for him to come already."
Events manager Tan Wei Wei, 30, who has seen Rain's concert DVD five times, said she would pay a maximum of $200 to see him perform live.
"It will be a sore-throat experience! Watching the DVD alone makes me feel like moving to the rhythm," she added.
"HIs dancing is great and the whole stage design and special effects really boosted the ambience. There's also his six-pack abs and his cute, romantic, sexy and masculine persona."
As for Secondary 2 student Lim Heng Xiang, 14, she said she would save for two weeks to set aside $150 for Rain.
"He dances very well, so I will go (see his concert) no matter what."
credits for the newspaper scan: Ayu @ Sexybi
Hallyu Buzz by Chang May Choon
Would you pay $500 to see Rain here?
Not the typical downpour, of course, but the strapping Korean hunk whose sizzling wild dance moves are know to reduce fans to puddles.
Most wouldn't fork out such a big sum for an Asian concert - the highest in recent years is $198 for local songbird Stefanie Sun's January gig - but die-hard Rain fan Stephanie Loh would.
"Yes, if I can get super good seats like the first two rows," said the executive secretary, 33.
"Some poeple will say, siao (Hokkien for crazy) ah? But you really have to see him perfrom live to see what's so captivating about him on stage.
"Every concert is different and to see him in Singapore would be a totally different feeling because it's our home ground."
The reason we're asking is this: In a press release sent to Taiwanese media, rain has just announced his intentions to tour 11 Asian countries and hold 35 concerts from December to mark the release of his fourth Korean album.
Singapore is on the list of countries he intends to perform in, as well as our neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, and the usual suspects HongKong, Taiwan and Japan.
But while the news is exhilarating - if it happens, it will be Rain's first concert here and the first time a Korean artiste breaks into the concert circuit here - the reality is not so rosy.
It is common for an artiste to announce he is going to tour in a particular country even before a contract is signed - which seems to be the case here.
The New Paper checked with three major local concert organizers - Unusual Productions, Hype Records and VizPro - but not could confirm plans yet for a Rain concert here. All declined to talk about the feasibility of bringing the K-popster in, but we understand from industry sources that is will be a mean feat.
The main reason: Rain, 24, is deemed too expensive.
Being the top star he is, he will probably command top billing too.
Ticket prices depend largely on production costs and the artiste fee. And that's not including special requests.
For instance, fellow K-popster BoA's managers asked for a private jet as part the tour package, said one insider.
Rain's upcoming Global Project 1st Concert In The World - Rain Asian Tour, which boasts world class performance, equipment and stage effects - is expected to cost 40 billion won ($64m) to produce and attract over one million fans, reported Yonhap News Agency.
A quick calculation shows that each of the 35 shows would have to seat at least 20,000 to 30,000 people to keep ticket prices low.
Since our biggest venue, Singapore Indoor Stadium, can only accommodate 10,000, the concert promoter will have to carefully juggle production costs and sponsorship and estimae how much the audience is willing to pay.
Enough fans?
Whether all the seats can be filled is another challenge.
The Rain Singapore fan club here has just 2,800 members and Rain's last album, It's Raining, shifted only 5,000 copies here.
However, it is believed Rain's drawing power extends far beyond these figures due to his constant media exposure - he was just in New York as one of Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world and will release a new Japanese single next month - and his credible efforts in acting.
He is now in Pusan filming his first movie - a cyborg love story by Old Boy director Park Chan Wook - and his new drama serial, A Love To Kill, has just been release here in VCD.
Still, The New Paper decided to play devil's advocate and throw the question to Rain fans: How much would you pay to see your idol perform here?
Now, we understand that the most-pit rate for Rain's last concert tour is about US$150 ($235), higher that the $198 top-range ticket to local songbird Stefanie Sun's concert here in January.
The reaction we got was mixed.
Only one die-hard fan, Ms. Loh, who has travelled to Bangkok and HongKong to see him perform, would fork out $500, while others gave lower figures.
Administrative executive Gina Wong, 30, said that $350 is reasonable.
'SORE-THROAT EXPERIENCE'
"Every show is a new experience, and we've been waiting for a year for him to come already."
Events manager Tan Wei Wei, 30, who has seen Rain's concert DVD five times, said she would pay a maximum of $200 to see him perform live.
"It will be a sore-throat experience! Watching the DVD alone makes me feel like moving to the rhythm," she added.
"HIs dancing is great and the whole stage design and special effects really boosted the ambience. There's also his six-pack abs and his cute, romantic, sexy and masculine persona."
As for Secondary 2 student Lim Heng Xiang, 14, she said she would save for two weeks to set aside $150 for Rain.
"He dances very well, so I will go (see his concert) no matter what."
credits for the newspaper scan: Ayu @ Sexybi
posted by Flor at 12:05 AM
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