Running Man Vietnam fan meeting with tickets up to 270,000 won suddenly canceled a week before event [Official]

[Sportschosun Kim So-hee] The Vietnam fan meeting for SBS variety show "Running Man" was suddenly canceled with less than 10 days left before the event, and some are speculating that weak ticket sales may have been the reason.

Event organizer Archer Media announced the cancellation on its official social media accounts, saying the "Running Man" fan meeting, "RE in HO CHI MINH," which had been scheduled for July 4 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, would not go ahead.

Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Suk-jin, Kim Jong-kook, Haha, Song Ji-hyo, Yang Se-chan, and Ji Ye-eun had originally been set to attend. Mighty Mouth was also planned as a special guest, but with the show falling through just 9 to 10 days before the performance, disappointment among local fans has deepened.

The organizers said, "Due to unavoidable circumstances, we are unable to proceed with the performance as scheduled," adding, "We sincerely thank all the audience members who looked forward to the show and adjusted their valuable time and schedules to attend."

They added, "We are deeply sorry and regret having to deliver this notice," and said, "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, and we will provide information on the ticket refund process as soon as it is ready."

As the controversy continued, the organizers issued another statement. They explained, "We even considered scaling down the event, but due to unexpected issues involving partner companies, we determined that we could not guarantee the quality of the performance." They also said, "We know that fans who have waited seven years spent a great deal on airfare and hotel bookings," and repeated their apology.

However, the specific reason for the cancellation was never disclosed. In Vietnam, speculation has emerged that ticket sales may have fallen short of expectations.

Ticket prices for the fan meeting ranged from 1 million dong, or about 59,000 won, to 4.7 million dong, or about 277,000 won. Some local media suggested that the relatively high prices may have weighed on demand, given Vietnam's local cost of living. However, that was only a local assessment, and the organizers have not issued an official statement on the matter.

"Running Man" has held global fan meetings across Asia since 2013, starting in Hong Kong and later visiting China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Macau, and Vietnam. If this event had gone ahead, it would have been the show's second fan meeting in Vietnam since 2019, but the group will have to wait for another opportunity.

Kim So-hee, yaqqol@sportschosun.com