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| ▲ This file photo, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows people enjoying a concert. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- The recent spike in novel coronavirus cases in Seoul and stricter social distancing measures has hindered the scheduled year-end K-pop performances in the capital.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent official documents to different performance agencies on Friday to guide them on changes in regulation for concerts with more than 300 people at performance facilities, according to the music industry.
The maximum number of audiences that are allowed to attend performances after Dec. 20 will be reduced to 4,000, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Last month, when the government implemented the "living with COVID-19" scheme in hopes to gradually return to normal life, up to 5,000 people were allowed to enter a concert venue after presenting a "quarantine pass."
However, under the tightened antivirus measures, events and performances attended by more than 300 people cannot be held except for important events and must be approved by related ministries as well as local governments.
In consideration of the time and procedures taken to prepare the long-awaited concerts, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will allow 5,000 people to attend the concerts scheduled to be held this weekend. However, starting from next week, only 4,000 people will be able to enter concert venues.
Nevertheless, artists who have organized performances around Christmas are expected to be negatively affected.
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Yes24, shows the poster for Na Hoon-a's concert. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Singer Na Hoon-a's Daegu concert, which was planned to take place between Dec. 24-26 at EXCO convention center, and TWICE's fourth World Tour Seoul concert, also scheduled before and after Christmas, have both reportedly been approved to allow 5,000 people to attend.
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| ▲ This photo shows K-pop girl group TWICE performing on stage. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also decided to further strengthen quarantine measures for this weekend's concerts.
From Dec. 18, if a case of violating social distancing rules is found during a concert, a warning notice will be sent to the performance agency immediately and the "strike-out system" will be applied.
If a performance agency receives three warnings, all performances, whether it has been previously approved or not, will be canceled. The agency will also not be allowed to schedule new concerts or performances for a month.
In addition, the business hours for non-regular performance facilities will be limited to 10 p.m. from Dec. 18.
In line with the newly changed anti-COVID-19 regulations, various performance agencies are adjusting or canceling its concert schedules.
TWICE decided to cancel its Dec. 24 concert as the 10 p.m. curfew also applied to the Olympic Gymnastics Arena or KSPO Dome, where the K-pop act was supposed to perform.
It is also expected to be difficult to hold "countdown" events and concerts for the new year.
HYBE, the corporation behind K-pop sensation BTS, previously announced to hold a year-end concert titled "2022 Weverse Con [New Era]" at 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 at KINTEX Exhibition Hall in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. However, the company is also currently adjusting the performance times.
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Hybe, shows the artist line up for the "2022 Weverse Con [New Era]" concert. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
A festival event, titled "COUNTDOWN FANTASY 2021-2022," organized by performance agency Mint Paper, was also planned to take place on Dec 31 at 2 p.m. and 9 p.m., but is now being adjusted.
"It will be difficult to hold a 'countdown' event late at night at the end of the year," an official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. "From this weekend's concert, we will thoroughly follow quarantine measures and ensure a safe concert environment."
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