Merchandise from BTS' V sold out so quickly, even Lea Salonga couldn’t get one
“The bloodbath was real”, tweeted the Filipino singer after she failed to buy the US$168 bag that was part of V’s self-designed collection.
South Korean K-pop boy band BTS member V poses for a photo session during a press conference on BTS new album 'BE (Deluxe Edition)' in Seoul on November 20, 2020. Jung Yeon-je / AFP
Were you one of the fans trying desperately to snag a piece of merchandise from the “Artist-Made Collection" by K-pop stars BTS but failed as it sold out really quickly?
Filipino singing sensation Lea Salonga knows exactly how you feel.
The 50-year-old star, who’s best known as the singing voice of Disney characters Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan, expressed her disappointment at not being able to get her hands on the collection by group member V, whose real name is Kim Taehyung.
The items – made up of the Mute Boston Bag and three brooches – went on sale on Tuesday (Jan 11).
A few days before they went on sale, Salonga tweeted, “Let the Hunger Games begin”, and as everything sold out, she tweeted, “The bloodbath was real”.
On Dec 30, BTS’ management company HYBE announced that all seven members of the K-pop group will release their own self-designed merchandise as part the band’s “Artist-Made Collection”, with each collection showcasing several pieces designed by the artistes themselves.
Jin and RM’s collections went on sale on Jan 4 and Jan 6, respectively, while V’s collection dropped on the group’s platform, Weverse, on Jan 11.
Not surprisingly, all products sold out within minutes.
Unable to get her hands on the bag, Salonga joined other upset BTS fans in voicing her dismay on Twitter.
“Sigh… I didn’t make it. The bloodbath was real, everything sold out in less than 1 minute!” she tweeted.
She added: “So excuse me, I’m just going to cry in a corner to get over this heartbreak”.
Her name began trending on Twitter soon after as other ARMYs chimed in to express their frustration. “Same, Clicked on the bag exactly at 9:00 p.m. EST and in seconds it was gone. I’m (crying emojis),” wrote one fan. Some also tried to cheer Salonga up.
The singer later shared a video clip, revealing that resellers were selling the coveted merchandise for profit, at prices several times higher than the original. The bag was originally priced at US$168 while the brooches were US$38 or US$48, depending on the design.
It seems she won't be getting over the disappointment for some time. “Looks like the sellers (who may or may not have any regard for BTS besides profit) beat us to it. Yeah, I’ll be salty about this for a while.”
