An article regarding the artist line up for the MBC Big Music Festa 2008 was posted here a couple of weeks back.
A lot of us were dismayed upon seeing SNSD taking part in this show which featured most of Korean music industry's finest - DBSK, Big Bang, Wonder Girls, V.O.S., Jewelry, and Shinee. Ticket sales started last August and with the show supposed to be held TODAY at 7PM, this news suddenly surfaces:
Note: Translations are a bit rough.. please feel free to inform me of any corrections :)
title: '2008 Big Music Festa performances Cancelled.
This is an SM Fanclub Official
It was planned today on the 11th of October for a performance in Ulsan.
The "2008 Big Music Festa" Event had insufficient preparations and insufficient communications with the Sponsors.
TVXQ, SNSD and SHINees performances thus were cancelled.
Thus we think it would be not be safe to have TVXQ, SNSD and SHINee in that area.
We understand that the news is an inconvenience to the fans and all involved as there were many high expectations to the Event.
We send our sincere apologies.
The sponsors have not complied fully to our requests and attending is not possible, for the sake of our artists.
Again we sincerely apologise and state that TVXQ, SNSD and SHINee will not be performing in todays Event.
Please take care in this coming chilly weather, and we hope in future to have favorable public performances.
For TVXQ, SNSD and SHINee if the opportunity arises they will endeavour in such public performances in future.
Thank You.
source: DNBN news
Translated by person-who-does-not-want-to-be-named...
Note the date and time of SM announcement:
Isn't it cutting a little bit too short?? In canceling a show as big as this, usually it needs to be done at least 24 hours... not 4 hours prior to opening.
Now TWO hours after SM's announcement in DNBN, VIPs in Daum posted this:
source
Rough translation:
Refunds shall be given to those who had bought tickets. It is a shame since proceeds of the Event were going to those in need and as a celebration of MBCs 40th Anniversary.The 2008 Big Music Festa for the help of the diseased and for young life Concert has been canceled.
Singers and their companies were informed of the cancellation.
MBC Ulsan gives its sincerest apologies and all will receive their necessary refunds.
Our apologies.
It's weird that SM would suddenly act as spokesperson for the MBC concert, and to actually make their announcement vague enough to be misunderstood as just SM artists canceling... And when other artists' FC which are not under SM do their own announcement, it is supposed to be for the ENTIRE show. Perhaps SM and MBC were hoping it will just be SM artists who will cancel and the rest will still be on?
Still not weird enough?
So how is it that almost two hours PRIOR to SM's announcement, things still seem to be normal?
Summary:
The 2008 Big Music Festa sponsored by MBC Ulsan will start at 7PM where proceeds will go to children suffering from leukemia and other incurable diseases.
A closer look at the time this news was posted:
Is it just me or does something smell fishy here?
No valid reasons were mentioned aside from insufficient preparations and lack of sponsors - which is kind of far fetched considering that the show had started promotion and selling last August - more than enough time to prepare. Or could it be that ticket sales are not what was expected?
Since tickets started selling, no news as to how big the expected turnout would be have been given... which is kind of strange. when powerhouses such as DBSK and Big Bang are headlining the event, one would assume that tickets would have been sold out in a week's time and MBC would have been shouting about it from the rooftops.
Curious isn't it?
No sponsors for the show? Since when has MBC needed sponsors? And if they did require sponsors since its a charity event, how hard can it be to acquire sponsors for such a show with DBSK, Big Bang, and Wonder Girls?
Could it be that not only fans are boycotting shows with SNSD, but now Sponsors as well? *gasp*
Serves them right for getting freebies in their artist packages... what was it? Buy two take one free?
DBSK + Shinee and a free SNSD = potential embarrassment
MORE UPDATES:
Seems that it really were Sponsors who had problems with the show:
Summary:
Fans are outraged at the cancellation at the last minute for Music Festa, they have swarmed on to MBC's fanboard to voice their anger.
SM firstly announced the cancellation of their performers for the event*basically the translation we provided above*.
JYP also canceled before 5 o'clock stating that the sponsors did not also comply to demands made by the company.
Other companies followed by 6 PM and complaints were sent towards the sponsors and their contact to the companies that morning, and due to that disagreement the performers could not gaurantee their attendance.
The fans filled the notice boards with strong protest and the fans said "we understand when one or two artists cancel, but for everyone to cancel at once, and on the day?".
Some are bewildered as to how all problems lay behind sponsors and that a solution could not be found for the sake of fans.
Source: here
The news was posted after the show was meant to have begun.
It's one thing if fans boycott a show... but it's a whole different league when Sponsors stage a boycott...
Let me give you guys an insight on how Sponsorships work for an event:
Sponsors give out money to have their name associated in the show. It's all about marketing. So basically, if they pay big bucks to have their name out there, it could be THEIR show, in the true sense of the word.
Sponsors also make sure that their co-sponsors are either beneficial to their own company or not a competitor. Business ethics so to speak. If a sponsor would ever back out, it is for good reason. Either they see the show as having no potential from the very beginning (a loss) OR sees the show as having bad imagery which could result to loss of consumers after the event.
And then of course, if a sponsor does back out, the rest will follow suit as the others would also feel obligated to protect their names and business. Whatever the reason may be.
Strange isn't it... how SM was the first to announce the cancellation? And when they canceled, JYP released their statement regarding THEIR sponsors... I can't say I blame JYP's sponsors. It was bound to happen. All because it seems SM is losing his touch...
He still insists of bringing his precious SNSD into the limelight even though they've had only one hit song since their debut more than a year ago. And with all the boycott and negative imagery these girls are getting, Sponsors would definitely think twice before investing their money on something which could ultimately lead into their own downfall.
Things are NOW getting interesting...
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Thanks to Bento Box aka Lady B for helping me out with all the info and research
BeeBox? LOL
Last edited by Bento_box on Sat 11 Oct 2008, 9:51 am; edited 16 times in total (Reason for editing : too many updates!!)
