'Empty Arena' Rumor Around Ayumi Hamasaki Traced to Staffer Leak

A videographer working on Ayumi Hamasaki's Shanghai concert has issued a public apology after secretly filming backstage and posting the footage online, triggering viral rumors that the Japanese pop star performed "to an empty arena."

According to the apology letter dated December 1, the staff member, Lai Zonglong, admitted to taking unauthorized photos during the rehearsal period and uploading them to his personal Douyin account "Demon" on November 28.

His captions implied that Hamasaki had "recorded a concert alone," which was quickly misinterpreted and circulated across social media.

The misleading post was widely picked up by bloggers and some media accounts, with several fabricating claims that Hamasaki had "completed an entire live show alone in an empty venue," the statement said.

Lai acknowledged that his actions violated the tour's strict rules prohibiting staff from filming or uploading rehearsal content. He said the rumors caused "significant trouble" for the organizers, adding that he felt "deep remorse" for the disruption.

He pledged to abide by professional standards in future work and to refrain from spreading unverified information online.