Lawsuits? — BTS’s Concert Sparks Unexpected Backlash From Seoul Couples

The event has caused widespread anger.

BTS’s concert organizers might be dragged to court by couples in Seoul, as per recent reports.

BTS | BIGHIT MUSIC

On March 21, KST, the boy group marked their grand return to the industry as a septet after nearly four years of hiatus with a concert at the historic Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul.

The scale of the event and the subsequent arrangements involving massive public resources and infrastructure already drew some criticism from Seoul citizens. Aside from the usual inconveniences, an unexpected pitfall of the concert was its negative impact on weddings in the Gwanghwamun area.

| Newsis

According to media reports, multiple brides and grooms reported experiencing inconvenience due to the traffic restrictions caused by the BTS concert. A groom, identified as “A,” told Kyunghang Shinmun that he had to move the wedding forward by one hour to 11 am to avoid traffic issues. Informing his entire guest list about this last-minute change wasn’t easy, and some of them almost missed the ceremony due to the confusion. Some flower delivery companies also reportedly canceled last-minute, stating that delivering wreaths had become difficult.

“A” expressed his anger at the lack of assistance offered by the Seoul Metropolitan Government or HYBE, stating, “It was practically like they had stolen the plaza, which belongs to all citizens. I wonder if it would have been better if they had at least made a statement of sincere apology.”

Another groom, Mr. Son, told Kyunghang Shinmun that he was considering filing a lawsuit for damages against the concert organizers. He vented that he spent a lot to secure a venue near Gwanghwamun because of the convenience of transportation. So, the situation completely turned on its head, leaving him feeling frustrated, as if his wedding was “nothing” compared to BTS’s comeback.

As more such stories were reported in the media, public opinion appeared sour toward HYBE and the Seoul Metropolitan Government for allowing the event to take place in a public space.

• “They really should have just held it at the place where they hosted the 2023 World Scouts Jamboree.”
• “I’m not criticizing the fact that they’re holding a concert. What I’m asking is, with so many other venues available, why on earth did they choose *that* specific spot? This isn’t a matter of simply saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘My apologies.’ These people are absolutely infuriating.”
• “Naturally, a lawsuit for damages must be filed. The people who planned the performance at Gwanghwamun, are they out of their minds? Oh Se Hoon, who approved it, should be punished just as severely.”
• “At first, I thought it was going to be a really worthwhile event, but to think that they went through all that chaos just for merely one hour… Yeah, I guess they really do deserve the flak. If you’re going to do something, you should do it right!”
• “Given that victims of the Itaewon crowd crush received compensation, it goes without saying that compensation is due here as well; they absolutely deserve it. Are other singers somehow not ‘real’ singers? The government likely instructed them to hold the event in Gwanghwamun.”

BTS