There is no way to fully predict what might happen before or during a concert, no matter how well-prepared the organising and production teams may be. Recently, two separate incidents have raised major concerns; one K-pop idol group received bomb threats, while another faced a scary stage malfunction.
Let’s start with THE BOYZ (더보이즈). The group was scheduled to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena, but the show was unfortunately delayed for two hours due to a reported bomb threat. According to the media, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) received an anonymous fax claiming that an explosive device had been placed at the venue where the group’s concert was due to take place.
Everyone was instructed to evacuate the building while the police and fire department searched for the device. Thankfully, no explosives were found, and after a thorough safety inspection, fans and staff were allowed back inside to enjoy the concert. THE BOYZ’s agency, ONE HUNDRED, issued a statement apologising for the delay, saying: “We apologise once again for making you wait in this hot weather, and please note that we are distributing cold water around the concert venue. We ask for the understanding of the concertgoers.”
There is currently no information on who sent the bomb threat. While one venue was ultimately deemed safe for the concert to resume, fans were left outraged and concerned for the safety of P1Harmony (피원하모니) and attendees when a fire suddenly broke out on stage. During the boy group’s concert at Korea University’s Hwajeong Tiger Dome over the weekend, the stage caught fire mid-performance. Concertgoers initially assumed it was part of the performance, but the raging flames, meters away from the idols, were quickly extinguished by a stage crew.
After learning that the blaze was not part of the show, many fans reacted to the incident; some even found humour in the situation, joking that the setlist was so good it “set the stage ablaze”. Most, however, expressed concern over how the fire had started, given that the performance did not involve any pyrotechnics. Fans criticised the production team and agency for not stopping the performance, as people could’ve gotten injured or inhaled too much of the smoke.
At the end of the day, it is a relief that no one was injured in either incident. We hope organisers will be better prepared in future and improve their protocols to ensure everyone’s safety.
A fan’s reaction to THE BOYZ’s bomb threat:
@mollykates_ I hope everyone is safe and can enjoy the concert! #theboyz #더보이즈 #theblaze #theboyzconcert #koreanews #kpopnews
P1Harmony’s stage caught on fire:
@hi446433467434556663 IM SCREAMING ?????? #p1harmony #p1h #피원하모니 #piwon #p1harmonykeeho #p1harmonysoul #p1ece #keeho #jiung #jongseob #intak #soul #shota #theo #taeyang #kpop #kpopfypシ #kpopfyp #kpopedit #fyp #viral #fypシ #concert
Sources: Soompi, TheStar, Koreaboo
