Concerts are all about the hype—the lights, the crowd, and the thrill of seeing your favourite artists live.
But in Malaysia, there’s something special that happens before the show even starts.
Instead of jumping straight into the music, major concerts often kick off with a patriotic moment: the playing of the national anthem, Negaraku.
This unique tradition recently took an Indonesian fan by surprise at a 2NE1 concert held during the Chinese New Year holidays.
Expecting the show to start with a bang, they were instead greeted by an entire stadium standing in respect as Negaraku played through the speakers.
“I thought the concert had already started!”
TikTok user @shay.mless, who attended the concert, shared their reaction to the unexpected moment.
“At first, I thought the concert had already started when everyone stood up. Seriously, I was so impressed by how patriotic it was before the concert even began in a neighboring country (Malaysia),” they wrote.
The video quickly went viral, sparking discussions among netizens. Some Malaysians explained that this was just a normal part of concerts in the country, while others admitted they didn’t realise how unique it was until they saw international fans reacting to it.
Not just a K-Pop thing—A nationwide tradition
While this particular moment happened at a K-Pop concert, it turns out the practice isn’t exclusive to the genre.
Netizens pointed out that major international artists like Billie Eilish and Coldplay have also had their concerts in Malaysia start with Negaraku.
“It’s not just K-Pop concerts. Even Coldplay’s concert played Negaraku. So, consider it a common practice for major concerts,” one user noted.
Some believe it’s linked to venues like Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which regularly plays the anthem before events.
A rule, but also a proud tradition
Some netizens explained that this isn’t just a common practice—it’s actually a national requirement.
“For everyone’s information, all performances in Malaysia must play Negaraku before starting. This applies to concerts, live TV performances, official and unofficial government events, and public stage performances,” one commenter clarified.
Watch the clip here:
