98 staff from G-Dragon concert caught for working illegally

Ahead of South Korean singer G-Dragon’s world tour concert at the Galaxy Entertainment Arena on Saturday, Macau police conducted identity checks on 96 non-local staff members at the merchandise sales area, reportedly due to concerns about illegal workers, and took two individuals for further investigation.

G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong) launched a three-day concert series in Macau on Saturday.

During the event, a social media platform shared photos and videos allegedly showing police conducting inspections at the venue over suspected illegal labor.

A user named mdanson_y stated in her post that while waiting in line to buy concert merchandise, police suddenly arrived and removed around 80% of the staff.

Despite waiting five hours, she eventually managed to purchase souvenirs, noting that only about 10 staff members remained to continue sales.

In response, the Public Security Police (PSP) issued a statement yesterday afternoon confirming they conducted a joint inspection with the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) at the Galaxy concert venue earlier that morning.

The statement indicated that during the inspection, they verified the identities of 96 non-local workers in the souvenir sales area and took two non-local individuals in charge to a police station for further investigation.

The police noted that the incident is still under investigation and that any violations discovered will be addressed according to the law.

As the incident escalated, netizens shared on Facebook a part-time job posting related to the event from a mainland Chinese social media platform. Titled “G-Dragon Macau Concert Part-Time Job,” the posting sought staff for June 6, 7, and 8, offering a base wage of RMB200 plus bonuses, with total pay ranging from RMB500 to RMB1,000 for two or three days of work.

The contact number provided was a mainland China phone number. The post has since been removed and is no longer accessible.

Reportedly, Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) has established a strategic partnership with Galaxy Entertainment Group, the agency representing G-Dragon, to act as its strategic partner for Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand during his upcoming tour, offering event support.

On social media, another netizen speculated the police action might have been retaliation by scalpers. However, when Times inquired with the Public Security Police yesterday about whether the operation was a routine patrol or based on a tip-off, a spokesperson said no further information was available at this time.

In connection with the “illegal workers” incident, one of the 98 nonlocal workers under investigation claimed to be a “volunteer” for G-Dragon fans, stating that all 96 “volunteers” were students who were released by police because they had not received any “wages.”

According to Administrative Regulation No. 17/2004, non-Macau residents are forbidden from engaging in activities for others without the necessary permits, even if unpaid.

Tencent Music Entertainment Group had not responded to the incident as of yesterday, and Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, has not circulated any news related to it.

The incident has received significant coverage and attention from news outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Macau.