Recently, Liu Dehua announced that he will be holding concerts in eight cities in China following the disappointing box office performance of the movie “Mr. Red Carpet” in which he starred. Despite this announcement, the news of his concert tour only ranked 42nd on Weibo’s trending topics list. Even compared to other male singers, Liu Dehua’s concert under the theme “Today…is the Day” received significantly less attention.
Liu Dehua will kick off his mainland China concert tour in July, with the initial performances scheduled in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing. Although the official ticket prices have not been released yet and the concert announcement was labeled as “outdated” on Weibo, scalpers have already started reselling tickets at exorbitant prices, with the most expensive ticket reaching 40,000 yuan (RMB), leaving fans feeling like they are being ripped off.
Earlier this year, Liu Dehua publicly supported Jackie Chan, who had faced criticism from mainland Chinese netizens, and was “elected” as the Vice Chairman of the 11th China Film Association. Some Chinese media outlets pointed out that Liu Dehua is organizing the concert as a public servant, as holding the title of “Vice Chairman of the China Film Association” is equivalent to a deputy ministerial-level position within the CPC system.
According to a report from Netease’s account “Light of New Cinema,” there was a high level of anticipation for Liu Dehua’s concert due to his status as a veteran singer among the “Four Heavenly Kings” in the industry. The report also mentioned Liu Dehua’s reputation of never cancelling a concert in decades, implying his strong commitment to his fans and performances.
However, the article took a turn, stating that despite the significance of Liu Dehua’s concert announcement, it ranked only 42nd on the trending topics list, indicating a lack of substantial buzz. The report questioned the priorities on the trending list, highlighting controversial news about a young male celebrity’s cheating scandal taking the top spot.
The article further dissected the trending topics, showcasing the dominance of negative and scandalous content over positive news in the entertainment industry. It compared the attention given to Liu Dehua’s concert announcement with sensational news related to TV shows, live streaming platforms, and controversies involving other celebrities like Yang Mi and popular content creators such as PDD.
A follow-up report by Sohu Network pointed out that among upcoming concerts in China, Liu Dehua’s concert ranked lower in terms of public interest compared to other artists like Huachenyu, Zhoushen, and Jay Chou. These artists have garnered a significantly larger number of fans eagerly anticipating their concerts in various cities across China.
As the discussion about concert hype continued, it was highlighted that the tickets for Liu Dehua’s concerts were not yet available for sale, but with a staggering 990,000 people reportedly waiting to secure a spot. Ticket resellers had already initiated pre-sale offers starting from 3,000 yuan, excluding the actual ticket price. Considering the potential ticket pricing ranging from 500 to 2,000 yuan based on previous concerts of A-list artists, fans could end up paying 3,500 yuan and above for a ticket purchased through resellers.
Some netizens calculated the overall expenses of attending Liu Dehua’s concert, factoring in additional costs for leave from work, travel expenses, and accommodation, estimating the total expenditure to exceed 5,000 yuan, equivalent to a month’s earnings for many working individuals. This revelation led to backlash from online users expressing hesitancy towards attending the concert even with reseller prices as low as 30 yuan.
In conclusion, the author of the article expressed concern over Liu Dehua’s diminishing popularity and the lack of attention his concert announcement garnered within the music industry. Commenters also remarked on the intertwined complexities of fame, public perception, and political affiliations, with some expressing disappointment in Liu Dehua’s recent career trajectory compared to their previous admiration for him.