Concerts are meant to be exciting events where fans gather to see their favourite artists perform. Unfortunately, many K-pop concerts have been targeted with bomb threats, sparking concern.
Recently, news outlets reported that a man had recently threatened to plant a bomb at PLAVE’s (플레이브) upcoming Seoul concert. The virtual group will hold an encore concert at Gocheok Sky Dome on 21st and 22nd November 2025 as part of their Asia tour. According to reports, the suspect, referred to as Mr. A, shared an edited promotional photo of the concert on 19th August 2025 (Tuesday) with the phrase “I will plant explosives”.
After receiving reports of the social media post, police arrested Mr. A. During questioning, the man reportedly stated that the post was “just a prank”. The case has since been transferred to the police with jurisdiction over Mr. A’s residence for further investigation. The 20-something is facing charges for public intimidation. Earlier this year, South Korea criminalised threats against the general public.
Sadly, the number of bomb threats at K-pop concerts is rising, even with the new law on public intimidation. Earlier this month, K-pop group THE BOYZ had to delay their concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena after the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) received an anonymous fax claiming that an explosive device had been placed at the venue. Everyone in the building was instructed to evacuate while authorities searched for the device.
Thankfully, the police found no explosive devices, and the concert was able to proceed as usual. However, the incident sparked concern over the safety and caution at large-scale events. Since many of these threats ended up as pranks by netizens, there is now a debate on whether the government should take stronger legal measures, as weak penalties for making false threats may embolden offenders.
Even if they end up as hoaxes, bomb threats should be taken seriously as they pose a potential danger to the public. We hope the South Korean government will take the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of its citizens. At the same time, the public should remain vigilant for any suspicious activity online and offline.
Source: Chosun News
