Browsing: concert economy

Maroon 5 will return to Kaohsiung on Jan. 24, 2027, for a concert at Kaohsiung National Stadium (高雄國家體育場), while Japanese singer and actor Tomohisa Yamashita (山下智久) has added an afternoon performance to his sold-out Nov. 14 show at the Kaohsiung Music Center (高雄流行音樂中心).

A Kaohsiung audit report found city-issued concert economy coupons had low distribution rates in some projects and were used mostly at night markets, raising questions about whether the program is reaching broader business districts.

Live Nation Taiwan’s Kaohsiung event page lists Westlife as the headliner but does not specify which individual members will appear.

Music festival Waterbomb, first launched in 2015 in Seoul, South Korea, is scheduled to hold a Kaohsiung edition on Sept. 12-13 at the plaza opposite Dream Mall (夢時代).

As the city’s concert economy draws more political attention, claims have circulated that local borough offices received “community benefit” tickets from concert organizers. The implication was that neighborhood representatives were receiving ticket benefits while residents were still dealing with noise problems.

Ko’s proposal calls for venue fees to be used as an incentive to encourage real-name ticket purchasing, with the stated goal of reducing ticket scalping and protecting fans. Her campaign has also proposed linking concerts with certified “friendly lodging” programs and local travel packages.

The group is scheduled to perform three shows in Kaohsiung on Nov. 19, 21, and 22, marking a major pop-culture event for southern Taiwan and one of the city’s highest-profile international music bookings of the year.

The city urged fans to use public transportation, shuttle buses, or nearby MRT stations for pick-up and drop-off instead of driving to the stadium.

Screenshots shared on social media allegedly showed far higher asking prices from resellers and proxy buyers. In the posts, front-row VIP seats were listed at up to NT$110,000, while other premium tickets were also marked up sharply. Fans reacted with disbelief and anger, with some mocking the prices and others saying the listings showed how serious scalping has become for major concerts.

Disputed data on growth, wages and tourism highlight tensions over Kaohsiung’s economic direction.