BTS fan asks for salary advance, gets a VIP ticket instead

A domestic helper in Singapore who asked her employer for a salary advance to buy a ticket to a BTS concert was instead gifted a VIP ticket by her employer, a gesture that has since captured widespread attention.

Nant Lah Sann Hie, a domestic helper from Myanmar, wrote a letter to her employer, Yvonne Lareina Lee, requesting an advance equivalent to two months’ wages, according to the local media outlet AsiaOne.

She hoped to use the money to purchase a ticket for the BTS concert in Singapore scheduled for Dec. 20.

Lee, who knew that Hie had been a devoted BTS fan for years, decided to gift her a concert ticket instead.

Lee told AsiaOne that Hie has been with her family for three and a half years, and that she often expressed her appreciation through handwritten notes and small gifts. 

“[Hie’s request] reminded me that everyone has dreams or experiences that they hope to fulfill at least once in their lives,” said Lee.

Lee’s entire family pitched in to buy the ticket, trying both the show’s official ticketing platform and ticket-buying services.

Lee ultimately secured a VIP ticket through a ticketing agency on June 3. The tickets, which offer seats close to the stage, reportedly cost around 500,000 won ($325).

In a video that Lee later shared on social media, Hie beams with delight and rushes to hug Lee after learning of the gift.

“I think that it took quite some time before she fully believed that [the ticket] was real,” Lee said. “As someone who absolutely loves BTS, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her.”

BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]