What to expect from K-pop concerts? South Korea lifts all Covid protocols and bans
While the Covid pandemic seems to be subsiding globally, fans of K-pop have even better news to look forward to. After two years, the K-pop concert experience had returned but fans had to hold back due to certain Covid protocols at concerts. Fans were banned from cheering, clapping, and head-bopping at concerts while they used plastic clappers to cheer for their favorites. There were no chants even though the idols themselves talked about how challenging it was to perform in a silent stadium.
On April 15, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ) of South Korea announced that there will be a change in the country’s Covid social distancing guidelines and protocols. It was announced that from April 18 onwards, all social distancing guidelines were to be lifted altogether. Initially, South Korea had lifted these cheering bans from all sports events but music fans were forced to attend concerts and follow all Covid protocols, including the ban.
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South Korea lifts their concert cheering ban
Other than wearing masks indoors, South Korean citizens will be allowed to pretty much go about their lives as they did before the Covid pandemic. Fans are glad to know that their favorite concert experience will finally be returning after a total of 25 months. It has been reported that fans who attend any outdoor, as well as indoor music or sporting event, will be allowed to cheer and scream as they did in the past.
While this new update sure has boosted the morale of many K-pop fans who are glad that they will finally be able to show their support to their favorites in the form of their cheering, some fans are also sad about the termination of the cheering ban. These fans claim that the cheering and screams from people beside them will ruin the silent concert experience they had over the past few months where they could really listen to their idols singing and rapping on stage.
'They sounded like they were being kidnapped'
Fans discussed the pros and cons of the scenario. One fan said, "They're probably testing things out to see how it would affect hospitals. It seems more and more people getting Covid have more milder symptoms nowadays than life threatening ones. Plus, a lot of businesses have been affected negatively and people have been protesting and they need to start boosting the economy due to inflation and rates increase."
One fan asked, "Somewhat related, but does anyone know if music shows allow live audiences now? I know Music Bank’s been doing it since last year, but what about the others? Haven’t been able to find info on this," while another responded, "Many of them are starting to but they have a no shouting rule. So people can only clap and they put a prerecorded audience sound at the end of performances."
One fan joked, "But I enjoyed the muffled sounds of hundreds, especially since they sound like they are all being kidnapped." One more fan responded, "Hostage scenario." One fan wondered, "I wonder how much this was ''prompted'' by the backlash regarding double standards between sports events and concerts. There were videos of big sports events with people cheering and not even wearing masks, and a lot of Koreans have been pointing out the double standards. Like... lol. So yeah, might as well pull out all restrictions cause what's the point of half-a*sed restrictions that only apply to SOME cases."
Another fan said, "I think people are willing to put up with things like restrictions, but everyone everywhere hates nonsensical rules and double standards. I don't blame people for being annoyed with that. Good for them for finally changing the rules." One fan stated, "I might be the only one but i actually enjoyed the quiet audience because i can concentrate on the performance and enjoy them better that way. i don't like it when audience make too much noise when the artists are singing. oh well." Another responded, "In fairness, Korean audiences don’t make that much noise in between fanchants. It’s better for the performers too."