&TEAM's hello82 LA Event Faces Backlash Over Alleged Unfair Entry Process

What was intended to be a free and interactive event between &TEAM and fans in Los Angeles has drawn criticism after attendees alleged poor organization, unclear entry procedures and an unfair selection process left hundreds of fans confused outside the hello82 store.

On August 11, &TEAM teamed up with hello82 LA for "82summer WITH &TEAM," an event that gave fans the opportunity to interact with the members as they took on the role of hello82 'employees' for the day. Held a couple of days before the popular festival, KCON LA begins, the event attracted significant interest from &TEAM fans, LUNÉ, hoping to see the group in a more intimate setting.

Alongside a separately selected "Game Parade" and limited fansign, one of the event's main attractions was "Employee of the Day," during which &TEAM members were set to work different stations throughout the hello82 space and interact directly with attendees as they shop for various items.

The event was initially announced as free and open to everyone on a first-come, first-served basis, with no purchase necessary and entry subject to limited capacity. However, amid concerns over the number of fans expected to attend, hello82 announced on August 5 that it would change the entry procedure.

Citing the safety of fans, artists and their staff, the company said admission for "Employee of the Day" would instead be determined through an in-person raffle. Fans were instructed not to form lines before 11 a.m., with any earlier lines not being honored, while the raffle process was scheduled to begin at approximately 11:15 a.m.

The change immediately prompted concerns among some fans, who questioned why the raffle could not be conducted online like other portions of the event. Others predicted requiring everyone hoping to participate to gather at the venue for an in-person drawing could ultimately create the same crowding the change was intended to prevent in the first place.

Concerns intensified on August 11 as fans arriving at hello82 LA began reporting confusion surrounding where to wait and how participants were being selected as there had already been various lines forming surrounding the hello82 space. Some attendees claimed they had been instructed by staff to move between areas or remain nearby while waiting for further directions. Other fans alleged that wristbands had already begun circulating before the previously announced 11 a.m cutoff.

Most notably, attendees questioned whether the promised raffle ultimately took place as expected. Rather than describing a clearly randomized drawing, several fans claimed staff members walked through waiting crowds and selected certain individuals or groups to receive entry. Some alleged particular lines were prioritized while others, including lines they said had been formed under staff direction, were passed over entirely.

Reports of line-cutting and inconsistent instructions further fueled frustration, particularly among fans who said they had followed hello82's request not to arrive or line up before 11 a.m., only to find themselves unable to enter.

The response online was consequently divided. Fans who successfully participated shared videos and positive accounts of their interactions with &TEAM, while others defended the event against some of the criticism. One attendee wrote on X describing their experience and saying, "I love la bc why did i just wake up on a random tuesday had no plans no work stuff and I pulled up to hello82 and met &team." While other users stood up for the hello82 attendees saying, "hello82 staff did the best they could, and if people had followed the rules, they wouldn't have had to immediately restructure on a whim."

However, a significant portion of the discussion centered on hello82's handling of the crowd and whether the admission process had been conducted fairly. With particular criticism directed towards the decision to replace a first-come, first-served system with an in-person raffle in the interest of safety, only for attendees to allege that no transparent random selection process was ultimately carried out.

One X user noted, "They chose influencers first then the staff would go in and pick random groups and most people who got there at 11 didn’t make it in" and "wish the &team hello82 event was ticketed or chosen online but seeing how their staff was biased when picking people in line today i doubt it'd even be fair"

While free artist events have become one of hello82's recognizable ways of bringing K-POP acts closer to their U.S. audiences, the backlash surrounding "82summer WITH &TEAM" has raised questions about whether the systems used to manage the demand for these types of events are keeping pace with their rising popularity.

For many LUNÉ in Los Angeles, the frustration was therefore not simply about missing the opportunity to meet &TEAM. It was about arriving under one set of publicly announced rules and feeling that an entirely different system was ultimately applied once they got there.