Throughout the year, several K-pop concerts were unfortunately cancelled, either due to permit approval issues or internal problems within the organising teams. Regardless of the reasons, fans were understandably disappointed, having eagerly anticipated the chance to see their idols perform live on stage, especially when it would have been the artists’ first time performing in Malaysia.
Earlier this year, a K-pop music festival that was set to feature two major acts was called off, with many speculating that poor ticket sales were to blame, as the chosen venue was considered overly ambitious. Now, yet another K-pop music festival, which was meant to ring in the New Year, will no longer proceed as planned. Here’s what happened:
Last month, organiser DTS Malaysia announced the Rockin’ To 2026 Festival, which was billed as Malaysia’s biggest K-pop New Year’s countdown event. The festival was scheduled to take place at the National Hockey Stadium (originally Sunway Lagoon) and was set to feature acts such as Korean rock band Wave to Earth and “K-pop Demon Hunters” star Audrey Nuna. Another act was meant to be announced, but, sadly, that reveal will no longer take place, as it was announced yesterday (Wednesday, 17th December) that the festival has been cancelled.
The official Rockin’ To 2026 Instagram page later shared the news, citing “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for the cancellation. “Despite our best efforts, we are unable to proceed with the event as planned. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding and support,” the statement read. Fans who have purchased tickets will receive a full refund.
As expected, the announcement left many fans disappointed, as they had been looking forward to seeing the acts perform live on stage. Some criticised the festival’s marketing strategy, pointing to the high ticket prices despite the full line-up not being announced, and likened the experience to purchasing a “blind box”. Others speculated that the event may have been cancelled due to its overly ambitious scale. There were also fans who said the cancellation was not entirely surprising, noting that few would be willing to take the risk of buying tickets without knowing the complete line-up.
Regardless of the reason, the cancellation is nevertheless disappointing. Hopefully, ticket refunds will be processed before the end of the year, and the next K-pop music festival will go ahead without a hitch. What do you think was the actual reason for the cancellation?
Read the full statement below:
Source: Instagram
