Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
More K-pop events canceled over coronavirus fears
The photo shoot of Big Hit Entertainment artists BTS and TXT. The agency called off its corporate event, slated for Tuesday, amid the new coronavirus epidemic. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment
By Lee Gyu-lee
By Lee Gyu-lee
More events are being called off as fear of the new coronavirus outbreak pervades deeper in the country.
A handful of concerts and musicals have been canceled and K-pop artists are postponing their schedules abroad.
BTS's agency Big Hit Entertainment called off its corporate event that was to be held Tuesday. The agency had invited reporters and its artists' fans and intended to make major announcements for this year.
But the agency said Friday it will hold the event privately and share a video of it through the Big Hit Labels YouTube channel on Feb. 5.
K-pop band Pentagon also decided to share its performance through video, after canceling a Feb. 12 showcase for its comeback album “UNIVERSE: THE BLACK HALL.” Its agency CUBE Entertainment said it will not invite anyone but stream the showcase through V Live on that day.
K-pop artists Taeyeon, left, NCT Dream, top, and Momoland have suspended their schedules abroad. Korea Times files
The coming run of jukebox musical “We Will Rock You,” based on British band Queen's songs, has been delayed due to increasing ticket cancelations.
Another musical, “The Promise of the Day,” featuring EXO's Xiumin and SHINee's Onew, partially canceled its nationwide tour in Goyang and Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The organizer Live Culture said: “As coronavirus infection cases were reported in the metropolitan and Gyeonggi areas, we have decided it would not be appropriate to hold performances there.”
K-pop artists are canceling their set schedules in countries where virus cases were reported. SM Entertainment artists Taeyeon and NCT Dream postponed concerts in Singapore and Macau set for this month.
Regarding her Feb. 1 solo concert cancellation, Taeyeon uploaded a post on social media saying: “Truthfully, my heart would be heavy if I continued with the performance in a situation like this and it's also heavy not to perform.”
Girl group Momoland pushed back its fan meeting tour in Japan, which was slated for March. BLACKPINK's Lisa was stopped from audition show filming in China after the show's production team called off shooting.
The premieres of films “Honest Candidate” and “Beasts that Cling to the Straw” ― set for Feb. 12 ― may be rescheduled. Courtesy of NEW and Megabox PLUSM
The film industry is also considering extra precautionary measures against the virus. New thriller film “Time to Hunt,” starring Choi Woo-shik and Lee Jae-hun, dropped its promotional showcase for Feb. 5.
As moviegoers raise concerns about visiting theaters amid the highly contagious disease, talks are being held over the premieres of films “Honest Candidate” and “Beasts that Cling to the Straw” that were set for Feb. 12. The films' distributor sources told news outlets that “as per the situation, we are open to various possibilities.”
A CJ CGV theater near Sungshin Women's University in Seoul closed last Friday after a confirmed coronavirus patient was reported to have visited. The theater will remain shut until today.