Lee Seung-gi's 477-seat concert couldn't even be filled.

Singer Lee Seung-gi, '20 years since his debut', is holding his first Asian tour in 4 years, but the response is not enthusiastic. It is painful that the 477 seats for the reduced concert were not sold out.

Lee Seung-gi will hold his Asia tour concert 'Boy, Walking on the Road' - Chapter 2' starting in May. Starting with the Seoul Concert held at the Link Arts Center from May 4th to 7th, concerts will be held in four countries: Tokyo, Japan (12th) and Osaka (14th), Taipei, Taiwan (21st), and Manila, Philippines (27th). The schedule has been released.

It has been 10 years since Lee Seung-gi's solo concert in Korea was held at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in 2013. The concert venue is Link Art Center Payco Hall.

If a concert is held after a long time, it is common for it to sell out quickly. Since Lee Seung-gi is a ‘top singer,’ he would easily sell out a small concert hall. But the response was not enthusiastic. Unlike the 15,000-seat Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium, all 477 seats were not filled. As of the morning of the 20th, there were 25 to 40 seats remaining in each synagogue. Of the total 1,908 seats over the four days, 141 are remaining. Tickets were accepted for the general public starting on the 6th, but even the weekend performances were not sold out even after two weeks. In some episodes, as time passed, cancellations came out and the number of remaining tickets increased.

It’s not that the performing arts industry is stagnant. Tei sold out her 500-seat small theater concert in one minute, and Jaurim's Kim Yuna also sold out her 700-seat concert for the first time in three years. Kim Tae-yeon, a former member of 'Miss Trot 2', filled the entire 800-seat grand performance hall of the New Millennium Hall at Konkuk University in Seoul.

A sold-out performance is one of the objective indicators of popularity. Industry insiders believe that Lee Seung-gi's current situation of not being able to sell out small concert halls has diminished his influence as an entertainer. The fact that Lee Seung-gi, who is called the nation's younger brother and swept the acting awards, was not able to sell out even one day of the four-day performance is something that needs to be seriously considered.

The point at which my liking for Lee Seung-gi started to decline was when I started dating Lee Da-in. Gyeon Mi-ri's husband and Lee Da-in's stepfather was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of making unfair profits through stock price manipulation. Even after being released on parole in 2014, he was once again indicted on charges of stock price manipulation. In this case, he was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of 2.5 billion won in the first trial, and was found not guilty in the second trial. Currently awaiting the Supreme Court ruling.

Lee Seung-gi recently left a long message on Instagram. Even close acquaintances recommended breaking up with Lee Da-in, saying, “Think about your image,” but he said, “How can we break up when Lee Da-in didn’t choose her parents?”

Lee Yu-bi and Lee Da-in enjoyed wealth under the influence of their parents and also became actors. Lee Da-in's Instagram post saying, 'I have a TV in my living room' was the starting point of the controversy. To the general public, the expression ‘my room, living room’ itself is unfamiliar. Lee Seung-gi chose to get married despite the controversy. It is my decision to endure bitter criticism. The bitter criticism from the public, the uncomfortable gaze, and the fans who turned away are all the result of his choices.

Lee Seung-gi chose an all-out war with 'sniping' instead of silence. He was aiming for anti-war public opinion, but unfortunately it did not go his way. Disappointment with Lee Seung-gi grew, and even people who were not interested in Gyeon Mi-ri's family began to take interest in his father-in-law's case. There are criticisms from the entertainment industry that her future as a singer is also uncertain. What if ‘Lee Seung-gi of the entertainment industry’ was a stock item? Both the fundamentals (main business) and supply and demand (popularity) are shaking. Botabio, which was delisted in October 2018, is looming.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr