Employee sorry for leaking pop star's rehearsal clips

A videographer publicly apologized on Monday for leaking unauthorized rehearsal footage of Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki's Shanghai concert, according to local news outlet ThePaper.com.

The staff member, identified as Lai Zonglong, admitted to secretly filming Hamasaki during closed rehearsals and posting misleading content on his personal Douyin account on Friday. The concert, which was scheduled for Saturday as part of Hamasaki's 2025 Asian tour, was summarily canceled.

In a statement issued a day before the concert, organizers cited force majeure circumstances and said full refunds will be issued within 30 days.

Posting under the Weibo account "Yanhuobinhai", Lai said his posts fueled false narratives on social media, including the untrue claim that Hamasaki "performed an entire concert alone in an empty venue".

In a statement, Lai acknowledged violating multiple rules, including a strict ban on recording or sharing any media during rehearsals.

"The photos I posted and the subsequent misinformation have caused significant disruption to the performance and concert organization," Lai said. "I deeply regret my actions and sincerely apologize for violating the protocols established by the concert organizers."

He added that he would abide by workplace rules and professional ethics and "resolutely refrain from publishing false information" online in the future.