Hello Kitty = Bad News
If you think Clarke Quay bars, school canteens, and the undeleted Internet browser history are the only spaces where fights can brew, think again. The Hello Kitty Go Around Singapore carnival has left some die-hard Hello Kitty fans unhappy after setting off sparks with their mismanagement.
Wait Hello Kitty what?
No, this isn’t another round of queuing for McDonald’s plush toys.
Hello Kitty Go Around is a kitty pop-up carnival, which opened at the Resort World Sentosa’s Coliseum last Friday (16 Oct).
Held for the first time outside Hong Kong, the mini theme-park was a much anticipated Hello Kitty haven, for the fans at least.
Fans were looking forward to the Hello Kitty Party Hall…
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… and the Hello Kitty Ferris wheel.
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Along with the theme park games and merchandise, Kitty Fans were also getting their claws out for the SG50 exclusive pack, which includes these paper “figurines”.
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Yup, the stuff that dreams are made of.
Event organisers Mighty Eight even announced that those who did not purchase the tickets for the carnival (which starts at $40) could get hold of limited-edition merchandise, such as umbrellas and fans at booths outside the carnival venue.
So what could possibly go wrong?
Where there is Hello Kitty, there is bound to be some sort of mishap, at least in Singapore’s history of the cataphoric kitty obsession.
Here’s everything that went wrong.
1. Non-ticket holders could nonetheless buy limited-edition merchandise outside the carnival venue
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Because some felt that the goodness of Hello Kitty should not be shared with other fans who did not purchase carnival tickets.
2. Missing merchandise in the SG50 exclusive pack
On the carnival’s opening day, Mighty Eight announced on Facebook that a Hello Kitty paper figurine would be pulled from the SG50 exclusive pack.
The exclusive SG50 exclusive pack, sold at $80.25, was an add-on that only ticket holders could buy. It contained items such as a tote bag, comic book and Hello Kitty paper figurine.
Well, not the paper figurines anymore.
Kitty fans were outraged.
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Quality issues
Media reports share that the figurines were of poor quality and because of that were pulled out from the SG50 pack.
Mighty Eight founder Jacky Teo told The Straits Times that when the figurines arrived in Singapore from a factory in Vietnam, the quality was spotty, with glue stains and the paper poorly cut.
“They looked nothing like the prototypes we received, so we made the decision not to release them, even though it came at a big loss to us,” he said.
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Mighty Eight had initially offered a $20 refund for the missing paper figurine. When that did not go down well, they offered more options including a full refund for the SG50 pack, should fans want to return their pack.
3. Missing limbs from fragile Hello Kitty figurines
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4. No air-con at the outdoor carnival
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Gandalf does not get why they are upset either.
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5. Carnival games to difficult to win
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The claws have some out although for some fans, anger just defies logic.
But if there is one thing kitty-history has taught us, it is that no one messes with Hello Kitty fans.
The Hello Kitty run in November 2014 ended up in tears, chaos, and finisher medal-snatching when runners found out medals were running out.
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But hey, fans do not have to be too upset about the carnival. They can probably find any Hello Kitty merchandise on Carousell sooner or later.
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Hopefully the carnival will end peacefully, with no tears this time round.
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Featured image via Facebook
With reference from The Straits Times
