Ashin, the lead vocalist of Taiwanese band Mayday, probably did not expect a toilet to go viral due to his social media post.
Mayday recently concluded 12 concerts at China’s Beijing National Stadium, popularly known as Bird’s Nest. They were held between April 30 and May 18 as part of their #5525+2 Back to That Day Tour.
Ashin, whose full name is Chen Hsin-hung, shared on social media on May 19 several selfies of himself taking a late-night stroll in the hutong alleys of Beijing after the concerts.
Among the photos was one of himself in front of a men’s toilet.
“I lingered on the streets for a while longer before leaving (the city),” the 50-year-old wrote in Chinese. “Does Beijing, which is unwilling to sleep, know the wild stories of our time here? But we know that so much happened on those nights, with countless princesses and princes staying up all night.”
Ashin said they cried, laughed, shouted and fell silent together at the Beijing National Stadium.
”Everyone walks into the concerts carrying their own life with them, though I don’t know what you’ve all been through,” he wrote. “But I can be certain that after these nights of revelry and tears, we have certainly shared some experiences together.”
Fans managed to ascertain the location of the toilet based on Ashin’s post. Many of them made a special trip to take photos there, with some mimicking Ashin’s pose for their selfies.
According to posts on social media, long queues formed near the public toilet, turning it into a “Mayday attraction” and causing inconvenience to nearby residents.
Other netizens said that the toilet, situated in a residential hutong area in Beijing, is heavily used by the residents as many of the households do not have their own toilets. The sudden surge in visitors has not only disrupted the residents’ daily lives, but also led to noise pollution and traffic congestion.
Ashin took to social media on May 23 to apologise.
“I never expected everyone to track down the public toilet in the Beijing hutong,” he wrote under the post. “I am amazed by everyone’s investigative skills, but I sincerely apologise for causing inconvenience to residents. Please check in sensibly and support the local residents and businesses in a friendly manner.”
The singer has also taken down the toilet selfie from most of his social media platforms.
Mayday also comprise leader and guitarist Monster, guitarist Stone, bassist Masa and drummer Guan You. The band are scheduled to hold seven shows at their next stop at Taipei Dome from July 3 to 12. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
