If you haven’t heard, the popular K-pop girl group 2NE1 (투애니원) is coming out of retirement later this year, making their first comeback since disbanding in 2017. The quartet’s comeback activities also include a world tour to celebrate their 15th anniversary – and some local fans are starting to believe Malaysia will be part of the highly anticipated event.
Recently, many Maybank customers had received a notification from the MAE app which hints that the girl group could be coming to Malaysia. The notification writes, “Are you ready for the BEST? Save up for your 2NE1 reunion world tour tickets with Tabung.” The Tabung feature is a savings feature in the MAE app used to save for anything, from holiday trips to concert tickets. If the user clicks the notification, they will be led to a page which shares more about using Tabung to save for the tour.
It’s not uncommon to receive a notification promoting the in-app feature. However, many MAE users found it puzzling that Maybank would specifically use the 2NE1 world tour to promote their services. While the bank never directly mentioned that Malaysia would be one of the tour’s stops, many still believed that the notification is a teaser that the girl group’s tour would include Kuala Lumpur. Some also argued that Maybank could be one of the main sponsors for the concert, thus explaining why they can comfortably use their name and image to promote their services.
While we can’t confirm the news, the mere possibility of 2NE1 coming to Malaysia hs many fans excited. Before their disbandment, 2NE1 had performed in Malaysia, and leader CL also made solo appearances at several music festivals in the country. Her most recent performance in Malaysia was at last year’s Borneo Sonic Music Festival, which she headlined. Given that this world tour is one highly anticipated by both BLACKJACKs (2NE1’s fandom) and fans of 2nd generation K-pop idols, we’re sure a Malaysian concert will get tons of support and enthusiasm.
What are your thoughts on this rumour? Do you think 2NE1 could be coming to Malaysia soon?
