Key Points
- The organiser of Blackpink's Vietnam concerts has apologised over a "misunderstanding".
- Vietnam's culture ministry is investigating website images used to promote Blackpink's Hanoi concerts.
- The images have angered some fans who say they will boycott the performances.
Labelling it a "hot-button issue" and a violation of laws in the country, Vietnamese authorities are investigating images used on a website promoting the K-Pop group Blackpink concert dates in Hanoi that have provoked a backlash from fans.
One Blackpink fan said she had bought two tickets to see the band's first performance in Vietnam but now won't be attending the event in protest.
"Bought two tickets for me and my date. Then saw the cow-tongue, and quit. I am (a) patriot," fan Tu Anh Xinh wrote on Facebook.
What has caused offence?
Vietnam's ministry of foreign affairs said the usage of images on the K-Pop group's website was "unacceptable" and a violation of the country's laws.
"The promotion and usage of products or publications featuring the 'nine-dash line' in Vietnam is a violation of Vietnam's laws and is unacceptable," spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said.
The so-called "nine-dash line" - also referred to by a phrase that translates to the "cow-tongue line" in Vietnam - is used by China to mark its disputed territorial claims on maps of the South China Sea.
The South China Sea is home to valuable oil and gas deposits and shipping lanes, and several of China's neighbours - including Vietnam - have voiced concern that China is seeking to expand its reach.
How has the Blackpink concert organiser reacted?
The concert organiser has apologised and says the images of the map that had been used on the website's landing page will be replaced.
On Thursday, a day before tickets were due to go on sale, iME, the entertainment company headquartered in Beijing promoting the concert dates, issued an apology.
The group's CEO, Brian Chow, said the incident was an "unfortunate misunderstanding".
"The image of the map on the website does not represent the territory of any country, and we are aware of respecting the sovereignty and culture of all the countries" where iME has a presence," he said in a statement.
"iME quickly reviewed and committed to replace the images that are not suitable for Vietnamese."
In his statement, Chow also said they had sent a written explanation of the incident to the Hanoi department of culture and sports and other relevant authorities.
The apology came after Vietnam's ministry of culture and information on Wednesday said it was starting "procedures to look into the incident".
What do fans say?
K-Pop megastar girl group Blackpink is due to host two concerts in the Vietnamese capital in late July.
It is the first time the group has performed in the country after being granted a government licence stipulating compliance with rules imposed on performing acts.
Since the band's launch in August 2016, it has grown its following to become a cornerstone of South Korea's multi-billion K-Pop industry.
The band set a new Guinness World Record in March 2023 as the most streamed female band on Spotify. With 8.8 billion streams, the band's most popular songs include "How You Like That," "Kill This Love" and "DDU-DU DDU-DU".
The band's members include Melbourne singer Rosé, Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo.
News of the concert dates in Vietnam generated a huge amount of excitement in Hanoi, which rarely hosts big-name international artists.
But usage of the map has prompted some Facebook and TikTok users to demand a boycott of the band's concerts.
A comment on the Blackpink Vietnam FC (fan club) Facebook page read: "In support of Vietnam, we'd better ... not attend entertainment shows organised by iME."
Another read: "This concerns the territorial claim of a country. Although I like Blackpink, we should raise our voice."
Second incident this week for Vietnam authorities
During a regular press briefing on Thursday, ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang admitted Blackpink's Vietnam show had become a "hot-button issue".
Earlier this week, Vietnam authorities said they had banned the upcoming "Barbie" movie from cinemas over scenes showing the same map.
"The promotion and usage of products or publications featuring the 'nine-dash line' in Vietnam is a violation of Vietnam's laws and is unacceptable," Hang said.
Warner Bros defended the map in the upcoming Barbie movie, saying it is a "child-like" drawing not intended to make a bigger statement.
"The map in Barbie Land is a whimsical, child-like crayon drawing," the studio said in a statement.
"The doodles depict Barbie's make-believe journey from Barbie Land to the real world. It was not intended to make any type of statement."
Additional reporting: Reuters
