I-DLE Yuqi’s Comment About Paying for Concert Tickets Sparks Heated Debate Among Fans

Member Yuqi of K-pop group I-DLE has stirred up online debate after voicing frustration about having to personally purchase concert tickets for her acquaintances.

On May 13, a video titled “The Day We’ve Been Waiting for Is Finally Here” was uploaded to the YouTube channel TEO. In the episode, host Jang Do-yeon asked Minnie, “I heard you spent 10 million won of your own money to invite 100 acquaintances to the concert. Did you have your own ‘Minnie Zone’?”

Yuqi jumped in to answer on Minnie’s behalf, explaining, “When we do a concert in Thailand, all her family, friends, and acquaintances come and sit together.” She then added with a sigh, “But what I don’t understand is this—we have to buy our own concert tickets with our own money.”

Yuqi explained that each member is only allotted four free tickets, and any extras have to be paid for out of pocket. This sparked laughter when Jang Do-yeon jokingly asked why they didn’t negotiate that in their contract. Minnie replied, “I should’ve thought of that… We still have three years left on our new contract. It's too late now,” making everyone laugh with her disappointed expression.

Yuqi, however, remained optimistic. “It’s fine—we can talk to the company again,” she said.

The light-hearted moment quickly turned into a point of controversy online. Some netizens criticized the comment, saying:

“She crossed the line.”

“If she knew how hard it is for fans to even get tickets, she wouldn’t say that.”

“Concerts involve so much effort and investment. They’re not just the idols’ personal events.”

“What about the fans who paid good money to attend?”

“She didn’t need to say that.”

Others defended Yuqi, arguing the backlash was unfair:

“She’s always been incredibly kind to fans—this is just nitpicking.”

“It’s a variety show. Can’t we just laugh?”

“I doubt most haters have even been to an I-DLE concert.”

“People are blowing this way out of proportion.”

“She likely exaggerated for entertainment—it’s just how variety shows work.”

Meanwhile, I-DLE (which consists of five members: Yuqi, Shuhua, Soyeon, Miyeon, Minnie) successfully renewed their contracts as a complete group in December 2024. During their acceptance speech for Record of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, leader Soyeon shared the news: “All five of us are staying together for life, so Neverland (the fandom) has nothing to worry about. We’ll keep making great music.”

Their latest release ‘Girlfriend’ is already proving to be a massive hit. The official music video has garnered over 21 million views in just five days, showcasing the group’s global popularity and the strength of their new era under the name I-DLE. With bold visuals, confident lyrics, and a catchy hook, ‘Girlfriend’ is setting the tone for their highly anticipated comeback.

Following their rebranding—dropping the “(G)irls” from their original name—the group is now officially known as I-DLE. Their upcoming mini album ‘We are’ is set to be released on May 19 at 6 PM KST.

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