EXO, SHINee, and more couldn't fill 65,000-capacity stadium? Unsold SMTOWN Mexico show sparks fan reactions

Part of the Big 4 agencies in South Korea for K-pop, SM Entertainment's upcoming SMTOWN Live concert in Mexico is drawing heavy criticism from netizens. Many have been urging the agency to cancel the show altogether ¡ª just days before it's set to take place. Why one may ask? It's because of the low turnout of fans to the concert.

Scheduled for May 9, 2025, at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, the concert is part of SM's ongoing 30th anniversary world tour, which kicked off in Seoul this January. However, as the tour expands globally, the response appears to be underwhelming. Despite tickets being on sale since mid-December 2024, the 65,000-seat venue remains largely unsold.

SMTOWN LIVE 2025 [THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE] in SEOUL Recap Video

? SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in MEXICO CITY
? 2025.05.09 (FRI)
? TICKET (https://t.co/hZSVzhjQPw)

? SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in L.A.
? 2025.05.11 (SUN)
? TICKET (https://t.co/Nf0F6AtSEG)

? SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in LONDON
?¡­ pic.twitter.com/LSZ5pJJmQu

¡ª SMTOWN (@SMTOWNGLOBAL) March 8, 2025

Fans disappointed

Screenshots of the seating chart circulating on social media show that many sections ¡ª including premium floor areas near the stage ¡ª are only partially filled, with some reportedly still 90% empty. Due to slow sales, the venue's capacity has reportedly been reduced to 50,000.

How these SMTOWN concerts are still not cancelled is beyond me. This is for the Mexico concert that will be held on May 9th... pic.twitter.com/k9HJ3Wk0yL

¡ª ? (@aentivenom) April 18, 2025

The disappointing turnout has sparked widespread backlash online. Many netizens have voiced concern for the idols, who are expected to endure a grueling 14-hour flight from Seoul to Mexico City ¡ª only to perform again at SMTOWN Live in Los Angeles just two days later. As frustration grows, some fans are calling for a complete boycott of the tour, accusing SM Entertainment of mismanaging its artists and neglecting fan interests.

Mexican fans weigh in

Fans in Mexico have cited several reasons for the low ticket sales ¡ª most notably the incomplete group lineups. Red Velvet is expected to perform with only three members following Wendy and Yeri's departure from SM, while Girls' Generation's Taeyeon is absent from the roster. Only a few soloists from SHINee and EXO are confirmed to perform, and the inclusion of AI artist naevis and the yet-to-debut boy group SMTR25 has drawn further criticism.

The problem with @SMTOWNGLOBAL ¡®s SM TOWN in MEXICO CITY is NOT that the fans dont wanna go or can¡¯t afford it, is the fact that you¡¯re bringing incomplete groups, incomplete and poor setlists, you shorten the stage, shorten the time, chose an awful hour to start,

¡ª Gigi Lee ? (@tyongigi) May 3, 2025

With 17 acts reportedly scheduled to perform starting at 8:00 PM, fans anticipate that each artist will only be allotted two to three songs. Given that many of these artists have recently held or are planning solo world tours, fans are questioning whether the concert is worth the high ticket prices.

Not just Mexico ¡ª Even LA and London

SMTOWN Live concerts in both Los Angeles and London have also faced sluggish sales. While the London show ¡ª set for June 28 ¡ª has reportedly sold out its floor seats and most other sections, overall demand remains lukewarm. In Los Angeles, tickets were recently offered for as little as $30 USD through vouchers distributed at a hello82 pop-up event.

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