The K-pop community is reeling from the shocking news of a catastrophic accident during preparations for the eagerly awaited SUPERPOP 2023 festival. Scheduled to showcase industry giants such as CL, ITZY, NewJeans, and NMIXX, the event was abruptly canceled when a section of the stage collapsed.
This unfortunate incident occurred at Misagyeongjeong Park in Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, where nine out of the thirteen workers present were injured. TopStarNews reports that the injuries range in severity, with one worker yet to regain consciousness. The incident raised concerns about whether the safety measures needed to be improved. Some wondered if a rushed setup compromised these measures.
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VOLUMEUNIT, the event’s organizer, promptly issued an official cancellation notice in which they apologized for the unfortunate incident. The notice read, “It has been determined that it will be difficult to proceed with the performance as planned, so we have made the decision to cancel the show. To the audience who has been waiting for a long time and to all involved parties, we apologize once again.” They promised to do everything in their power to prevent similar incidents in the future and urged fans with questions to reach out via their website.
What is SUPERPOP 2023?
Originally slated for September 23-24, SUPERPOP 2023 is a music festival created to bring people together through pop music from around the world. Sponsored by global music platform Coke Studio, it was pegged as one of the year’s biggest K-pop events. Fans from all over Asia and beyond had marked their calendars, eagerly anticipating live performances from their favorite artists.
The fans’ reaction has been overwhelming, with many expressing sympathy and support. While they’re disappointed about missing their favorite artists’ performances, their main concern is the welfare of the injured workers. VOLUMEUNIT also addressed ticket holders, assuring a full refund with detailed procedures.
The excitement surrounding SUPERPOP 2023 was undeniable. But the prevailing sentiment has shifted to hope for the injured workers’ swift recovery. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: The accident happened two days before the festival was scheduled to begin. Source: Twitter/@verypeachu.