‘A dream come true’: Domestic workers receive BTS concert tickets as gifts from employers
Sherlyn Sim
The Straits Times
June 6, 2026
When BTS take the stage in Singapore this December, Iris Thia and her domestic helper, Hendry, will be among the thousands of fans packed in the National Stadium.
The pair have bonded over the K-pop boy band, watching BTS videos, discussing the group’s latest activities and teasing each other about their favourite members.
For Hendry, 40, seeing BTS perform live once felt out of reach. The Indonesian helper, who has worked for Thia’s family for three years, worried about costs and whether she would even be able to secure a ticket.
But Thia, a 44-year-old administrative assistant, surprised Hendry by paying for a Category 4 ticket worth $218 so the pair can attend the concert together on Dec 20.
“I was trembling and nearly cried. I was very shocked and very grateful to my madam. This is like a dream come true,” Hendry told The Straits Times.
The pair are among several cases of employers getting BTS tickets for their domestic workers after the K-pop group’s long-awaited Singapore shows were announced.
Part of the family
Thia, a single mother of three daughters aged between nine and 15, said Hendry has become part of the family. “She puts her heart and soul into caring for my children and me. When I was going through tough times, she comforted me and was part of my healing journey.”
She recalled how Hendry would prepare meals when she returned home late from work and help care for her youngest daughter when she was sick.
“BTS have brought us closer together and the concert will be a good memory for us,” said Thia, whose favourite member is Jin. Hendry’s favourite is RM.
“I hope she can let her hair down and really enjoy herself.”
Marking a milestone
Freelance potter Kimberlee Ang, 43, still remembers the day she discovered just how big a BTS fan her domestic helper was.
One day, she noticed posters of the South Korean group plastered around the room of Nurwati, a 32-year-old Indonesian who has worked for her family for the past decade.
Curious, she asked who they were. “My seven Korean husbands!” Nurwati exclaimed. Years later, this still makes Ang laugh.
This December, Nurwati will attend BTS’ Singapore concert after Ang secured a Category 2 ticket worth $288 on Dec 17 as a gift to mark her 10th year with the family.
In 2023, she also surprised Nurwati with a ticket to BTS member Suga’s solo concert in Singapore. A TikTok video posted by Ang showed Nurwati bursting into tears and crouching on the floor as she tried to process the surprise.
A BTS fan since 2018, Nurwati counts Jimin as her favourite member. Her enthusiasm has become a family affair.
“When they see BTS items, they always send me pictures. They buy me stickers, posters, albums and magazines. They always support my hobby,” she said.
Ang describes Nurwati as “like a younger sibling”. Over the decade, she has helped raise Ang’s two sons – teenagers now – and also helps care for Ang’s elderly mother.
She was especially grateful for Nurwati’s support when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. “When I was unwell, she took on more responsibilities because my children were still young. It takes a whole village to keep everything running. She has worked so hard, she deserves to play hard.”
For Nurwati, there is only one thing she is looking forward to. “My focus is always Jimin. I always see him on my phone. Now I can finally see him on stage.”
Whether she will cry again remains to be seen. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll be crying the whole concert,” she said.
No longer just a dream
For years, BTS fan Nant Lah Sann Hie believed she would never get to see the group perform live. The 33-year-old Myanmar national, who has worked as a domestic helper here for almost four years, knew tickets could easily cost more than half her monthly salary.
When BTS announced their Singapore concerts, she wrote a letter to her employer, Yvonne Lee, asking for a two-month salary advance so she could try to buy one.
“When I read the letter, I realised how much this meant to her. This wasn’t just a concert ticket. It was her dream,” said Lee, 45, who works in a live-streaming business.
So Lee secured a VIP ticket worth $388 for Nant during the June 3 pre-sale.
“I was so happy that I cried. I planned to take a salary advance and didn’t expect she would buy it for me at all,” she said.
For Lee, the decision was natural.
Despite earning a modest salary, Nant buys food for Lee when she is busy working and spends her own money on small gifts for Lee’s two daughters, aged 14 and six.
“She loves me like family. She’s the only helper I’ve ever had who writes me letters. She takes care of my girls and pays attention to them,” Lee said.
The gesture was also Lee’s way of recognising the sacrifices many migrant domestic workers make when they leave their families behind to work overseas.
“She gave up so much to come here alone and support her loved ones. Being able to help her fulfil this dream makes me feel very content,” she said.
Nant will attend the Dec 20 concert alone, but she is already counting down the days to seeing her favourite member, V.
“I keep thinking about it,” she said. “I’m so excited, very touched and very grateful. I never thought something like this could happen to me.”
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