Golden Child, N.Flying, Kim Jaehwan's offline concerts get canceled as Covid-19 cases rise
Golden Child, N.Flying and Kim Jae-hwan have postponed offline concerts due to an unexpected rise in Covid-19 cases in Seoul. South Korea was previously lauded for its deft handling of the global pandemic. While most industries were affected in the West, South Korea did not come to a standstill. With strict social distancing and vigilance, the virus has been under control for a while. However, the last few weeks have seen some hardships and quite a few K-pop idols have tested positive.
By taking advantage of the technology and shifting everything online, K-pop artists have been hosting virtual concerts and online fansigns since 2020. However, with the drop in Covid-19 cases, companies started hosting physical and offline events such as meet and greets and showcases. With no incidents, companies were emboldened and went on to host offline concerts. Unfortunately, it has backfired.
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Offline concerts canceled
A number of artists and groups had announced that they would be holding offline concerts, plays and other events. Artists like Golden Child, N.Flying and Kim Jae-hwan announced their offline concerts with tickets being quickly bought by K-pop fans as many have been waiting to see their idols in person once again. But there has been a sudden rise in Covid-19 cases in Seoul.
In fact, several K-pop idols tested positive. Ateez’ San found out hours before his birthday, while Lovelyz’ Jisoo was infected while promoting her comeback. Noir’s Minhyuk tested positive while working on ‘On Air-Spinoff’ which led to the show being postponed. Additionally, Infinite’s Sunggyu was also infected while working on the ‘Gwanghwamun Sonata’ musical. As of July 13, Treasure’s Doyoung also tested positive while filming for a commercial.
The ‘Mr. Trot’ Cheongju Concert that was held four times last weekend with an audience of 2,500 received backlash as Cheongju locals stated that this could lead to a rise in cases in their area. With such news, companies took to indefinitely postponing upcoming offline concerts. K-pop group Golden Child was set to have their second solo offline concert this week, July 17 and 18. Titled ‘Summer Breeze’, the concert has been postponed and fans can get a free refund if they want.
Similarly, a former member of Wanna One, Kim Jae-hwan, was supposed to have his first offline concert in two years. Titled ‘2021 Kim Jae Hwan Concert ALARM’, it was supposed to take place from July 30 to August 1. But the concert has been canceled with all tickets bought to be fully refunded. It will be held at a later date when the cases decline.
At the same time, K-pop band N.Flying was supposed to have an offline concert and meet and greet titled ‘Man on the Moon’ on July 31 and August 1. Their company has also announced that the show has been put on hold with a new schedule to be released later. The tickets bought will be applicable for the future date while those who want can also get a refund.