How Purple Kiss changed the K-pop tour game
With stops in Halifax, Winnipeg and Regina, the band's decision to make multiple Canadian stops was an unprecedented move
The K-pop tour market is no doubt at a crossroads. From touring only a handful of American cities, lacklustre ticket sales to overestimating demand, we’ve seen over the months just some of the challenges K-pop acts face when it comes to reaching their fans.
Here on this newsletter, I’ve spoken at length about what bands lose when they don’t promote in Canada. The truth of the matter is, unless you’re a band with a huge fanbase like BTS, ATEEZ, Seventeen, Blackpink or TWICE, the chances of selling out a large venue will only be much harder.
That’s why I was shocked when I heard that the girl group Purple Kiss has decided to go against the grain of other acts in order to promote.
Hitting multiple Canadian cities including Regina, Winnipeg, Halifax and Quebec City, I was curious how the group would manage to pull it off given that many of these cities rarely see K-pop acts coming their way.
So on the day Purple Kiss made its way to Toronto for a show, I knew I had to try to get a ticket. Even though I didn’t know much about the group’s music, I felt obligated to support because it could signal more acts coming to Canada in the future.
In Toronto, Purple Kiss played at a venue called Parkdale Hall, which has a capacity of 800 standing guests. Even though I’ve lived in the city for most of my life, I’ll admit that I had never heard of this place before. Though upon research, the hall often hosts candle night piano concerts.
When I arrived, the venue gave me legion hall and school gym vibes. It was clear to me that the hall did not have the sophistication of big screen projectors, confetti machines or pyrotechnics. Not to mention, the stage was also quite small.
The modesty of Parkdale Hall was all the more reason for Purple Kiss to prove themselves to the audience they were about to play in front of. While many in the crowd were already fans, I had no doubt some who attended did so out of curiosity like me.
So going in cold with little context, I decided to let the band’s performance speak for itself.
Purple Kiss is a six-member group formed by RBW, a label also known for producing groups like Mamamoo, KARD and ONEUS. I liken Purple Kiss’s vibe as quirky and witchy with a side of girl crush. They don’t seem to do cutesy and bubble gum like a lot of K-pop girl groups I’ve seen. So whilst Purple Kiss’s concept is a bit more unique, their sound also allows them to explore stronger vocal tones and belts, along with more dynamic dance moves.
Given the lack of production capabilities at Parkdale Hall, the members of Purple Kiss really had to use their time on stage wisely. They took breaks while giving extended speeches about their time in Canada. Members performed covers as sub-units while the others rested backstage and changed their costumes. And with no VCRs to fill up time, members of Purple Kiss went out in small groups to answer questions submitted by fans through post-it notes on a whiteboard.
Sure, the latter felt a bit like a school presentation. But I really liked the fan interaction aspect of this! It allowed for the members to show off their sense of humour and personality. And in many ways, the lack of production allowed for Purple Kiss to build a more intimate connection with fans.
But despite being in a smaller and humble venue, the concert ended up being a great success. Purple Kiss sold out its show in Toronto, along with several of its other shows across Canada throughout the tour.
“Looking at all the photos, nearly every venue was sold out and even those that didn’t were still packed. It was nice seeing as a Canadian and as a K-pop fan,” Wild Matt, who came to Toronto from Ottawa to see the show, told me over Instagram.
Over on the east coast, Gillian, who runs KPOP Events Halifax, agreed after seeing Purple Kiss play at the Light House Arts Centre.
In fact, she thinks tour organizers might have even “underestimated” demand from fans. Given that it was the band’s final show of the tour, she notes there wasn’t a lot of merchandise left for atendees. As a result, many fans who wanted to buy photocards and lightsticks were not able to.
Nonetheless, Gillian says she was thrilled Halifax finally got a K-pop show.
“Normally when a Halifax K-pop fan wants to attend a concert, they have to consider the cost of the concert ticket, flights, and accommodations which is normally a minimum of $1000 CAD buy in just for a Toronto concert,” she said.
“This tour was much more affordable since we didn’t have to consider flights or hotels. This gave fans who don’t have the opportunity to travel to attend their first K-pop concert.”
While I personally did not take part in any of the VIP packages for Purple Kiss, other fans online shared how affordable and hassle-free it felt to be able to attend a fan-sign with the group and take selfies with them. At a time when concert tickets continue to get pricier and pricier, that itself also felt refreshing and a nice change.
Leo Presents, who organized the Purple Kiss tour, did not respond for comment when I emailed for more details around the concerts.
Though as a K-pop events organizer herself, Gillian says she sees the Purple Kiss show as an opportunity for other promoters to use as an example for planning future tours.
“I think Leo Presents did a great job at booking small venues in cities they haven’t presented in before. I think due to the ticket prices being reasonable, more casual fans attended the show and left as Plory [Purple Kiss fans].”
That was the case for me, who left the concert with a greater appreciation for Purple Kiss. While I can’t say that I’ve had enough time to fully digest their music and content, the concert was enough to keep me entertained and endeared me to the group. And having paid less than $100 a ticket to the show, I would say it was very much a worthwhile experience.
Seeing the rarity of a tour like Purple Kiss’s, I can hope that there will be more like it in the future. Because if this was any indication, taking a chance on Canada proved to be a great success.
(Courtesy of Parastar Entertainment)
I’ve been a bit MIA, though with good reason. I’ve been working on a few articles that I’m really excited to share in the coming weeks. And it’s all part of my ongoing column for The RepresentASIAN Project.
One of my recent interviews include Big Ocean. Since its debut in the spring, the band has been breaking barriers for being the first hard-of-hearing K-pop idol group. I spoke with the members about finding their way into music, incorporating sign language into performances and making the industry a more inclusive place. Read more here.
By the way, I am off to Chicago to see IU! Expect to see more on that soon!
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