Bada has become the center of controversy after audience members who attended her “free concert” claimed they were unexpectedly subjected to lengthy promotional presentations for a funeral service company.
According to a report by JoongAng Ilbo on May 8, a free performance by Bada was recently held at a small theater in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
However, attendees who arrived expecting the singer’s performance were reportedly surprised when representatives from a funeral service company appeared on stage before Bada herself. Audience members allegedly had to sit through nearly two hours of product promotions and membership sales pitches related to the company.
Reports stated that staff members later distributed sign-up forms while advertising “special benefits available only through on-site registration.” Only after the promotional session and collection of application forms ended did the singer reportedly appear on stage.
The event organizers had recruited attendees through official social media accounts by advertising the show as a “nationwide free lecture and concert for adult men and women.” While the notice reportedly did mention that sponsor promotions would be included, many criticized the disclosure for being written in a way that was difficult to notice.
After the event, online criticism quickly spread, with reactions including comments such as, “I completely wasted my time,” and “There’s really no such thing as a free lunch.”
In response to the backlash, a representative from the funeral service company explained, “This was not directly organized by headquarters but rather a type of marketing used during local promotional operations.” The representative added, “Whenever complaints are received, we continue reviewing and improving areas that need adjustment.”
A representative from Bada’s side also addressed the controversy, explaining that the singer had simply been booked through an outside agency and was not directly connected to the promotional activities.
The representative reportedly stated, “As far as we know, the inclusion of sponsor promotion time was communicated beforehand as part of the event.”
Sources: Daum
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