William So Wing Hong attends a performance in Hong Kong, China on August 11, 2025. Photo: VCG

Hong Kong singer William So Wing-hong's planned October concert in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province has been removed from ticketing platform Damai by 9:40 am Tuesday, the Global Times found. In addition, the concert's organizers have submitted a cancellation request to the approval authority, according to Sichuan-based Red Star News on Tuesday.

"The ticketing website has taken down the sales information, and the refunds are underway," Red Star News reported.

The developments followed online complaints concerning So's planned concert, which critics linked to his drug-related offense more than 20 years ago, Hubei-based media outlet Jimu News reported.

So's "So Live" 2025 tour is scheduled for October 6 at the Wenzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, with tickets priced from 199 yuan ($28) to 699 yuan, according to ticketing platform Damai. Tickets were sold out as of 9 am on Tuesday, according to the concert's official page on the platform. Meanwhile, the concert information was no longer available on Damai as of 9: 40 am on Tuesday, the Global Times found.

Screenshots circulating on the Chinese X-like platform Sina Weibo showed a netizen had filed a complaint with local authorities demanding the show be canceled, citing So's past. "After further communication and coordination with the provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the performing company, the event was reviewed and approved, with materials complete and procedures in compliance." the Wenzhou Longwan District Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports replied. 

As of 9 am on Tuesday, the hashtag of #Drug-related singer William So Wing Hong's concert draws online complaints on Sina Weibo had garnered more than 15 million views and 8,000 comments.

Media reported that So was arrested in 2002 in a bar in the island of Taiwan for drug possession and underwent 11 days of compulsory rehabilitation before his release.

In response to inquiries, a Longwan district officer told Jimu News on Monday that the bureau had received feedback on So's concert and was following up. The approval process lies at the provincial level and has not received any notice prohibiting the performance," the officer said, adding that "He had performed in other cities in the past two years."

The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism's market supervision officer declined to comment, citing Jimu News.

Global Times