Why did Taylor Swift skip her 2011 trip to Korea? Is it really because of Singapore's exclusivity deal?
According to a report, it's possibly not because of SG, but because of Taylor Swift's own aversion from the country. In fact, there is a new finding that Koreans themselves might not even like Swift. But then, if Eras Tour was held in Korea - there's no doubt that those who would buy tickets are not even Koreans alone.
Korean Music Scene Not as Big?
According to Korean Joongang Daily, some Koreans are wondering why they are still not considered a music hub in Asia when the whole Kpop scene is reportedly to have grown.
In fact, many are now wondering if Korean industry truly has grown, given this snub.
Swift No Fan Base in Korea?
But another angle was presented. The fact that Koreans themselves are not a huge fan base.
As part of her "Speak Now" tour, Taylor Swift made her final appearance in Korea in February 2011 at the KSPO Dome in Songpa District, southern Seoul. Insiders now say that although it was capable of holding up to 15,000 people, it didn't.
The singer-songwriter's most recent "Eras" pin didn't land on the peninsula, maybe because her last Korean show was one among the few dates on the "Speak Now" tour that didn't sell out.
The Korean music business is notoriously closed off to outside cultures.
Only three songs, by foreign artists Melon, Genie Music, and Bugs, have ever reached the top of the domestic charts. Indeed, Le Sserafim's "Perfect Night" (2023) garnered media attention as the only English-lyric song to reach the top of local music charts.
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According to the Korea Box Office Information System (Kobis), the concert movie "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" (2023) peaked at 37% of all designated tickets for the film and failed to sell out at local theaters as well.
This means that while Kpop artists are gaining traction across the world, global artists are not seeing the same numbers and reception in Korea, including Taylor Swift, no matter how hard that is to believe.
No Venue?
The reason Swift only makes stops in Japan and Singapore during the Asian "Eras" leg has not been addressed by either the tour promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) or Swift's management company, Universal Music.
However, one thing that Korean industry insiders all agree on is that, regardless of her desire, she could not perform here right now. The Olympic Main Stadium in Jamsil, which is the biggest sports stadium in Korea, started renovations last year and won't reopen until December 2026.
While there are other music venues, none of them are large enough to hold a concert the size of Taylor Swift's international tours.
Insiders claim that every available location has been reserved for the upcoming several months, and some have even been reserved for six months.
Taylor Swift would have needed to appear far more frequently in Korea's smaller venues in order to achieve the same ticket sales as she did during her four concerts in Japan and her upcoming six performances in Singapore.
Taylor Swift Does Not Want to Go To Korea
Industry insiders claim that Chung Tae-young, CEO of Hyundai Card, stated last month that he "should've brought the concert to Korea and heard Taylor Swift say "Hello, Seoul' stead of 'Hello, Tokyo" was merely wishful thinking, especially considering that her most recent visit to the country probably wasn't the best one, particularly because the venue wasn't sold out.
An anonymous concert promoter stated, "At the end of the day, the artist has to want to come."
Did Taylor Swift not want to come at all? Are Asians blaming Singapore when in fact, it has no control at all in this issue?
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