Sloppy organization mars ground-shaking 'ULTRA' EDM festival

By Dong Sun-hwa, Lee Gyu-lee

Star DJs played upbeat and ground-shaking music from the stage of “ULTRA Korea 2019,” one of the most beloved electronic dance music (EDM) festivals here on June 7-9. Colorful lasers and fireworks boosted the party mood of concertgoers to the next level, attracting massive crowds as always.

But sloppy management overshadowed the glitz and glamour this year.

Last-minute cancellation of top DJs

The late cancellation of headliners' performances disappointed concertgoers.

Only a few hours before Sunday's gig, the organization committee announced that the main attraction, Swedish House Mafia, the reunited house music super-group, would not appear due to “unforeseen circumstances.” It neither elaborated on the reasons nor notified of an alternative headliner.

The committee uploaded another Facebook post after the announcement and said it would provide a refund for the last day. It said the refund request form would be available on its website.

But as of Wednesday, the form has not appeared and no further refund process information has been provided.

Fans expressed anger through comments on ULTRA Korea's Facebook.

“This is the worst rave I have ever been to,” wrote an online user. “The arrangement is totally crap. Thanks for ruining my Korea trip.”

Another wrote: “Epic failure! This year destroyed Ultra Korea for me. Poor planning! Terrible implementation! Seriously, security guards have no idea what they are doing! Bars accept only cash one day and only T-money the other day.” T-money is a debit card-like transportation pass.

The first day's headliner DJ Martin Garrix also cancelled his performance only a day before. It was due to a leg injury. But a refund was not an option in this case.

Unprepared staff and security

The committee's staff and security also seemed unprepared. They confused many people by failing to provide details on transport arrangements.

Dozens of partygoers had to take a shuttle bus arranged by the committee to return home, because the festival was held outside Seoul, at Everland Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

But they could not find the bus stop. They asked staff and guards, but no one clearly knew. They “lost their way” and wandered around the speedway until other staff with the information intervened. But the way to the stop also was dangerous, with only a few street lights to guide them.

“I walked back and forth on the whole site twice because no one knew where to take the bus,” one concertgoer told The Korea Times.

Controversy over Rising Sun flag

After the fest ended Sunday, it was embroiled in another controversy Tuesday over a Japanese participant who wrapped himself in a Rising Sun flag. The flag is considered an emblem of Japan's wartime aggression, so many Koreans believe it should be banned.

The committee has been blamed for allegedly not taking action to restrain the man, but it denied this in an official statement on Wednesday.

“ULTRA Korea did not neglect the man,” the statement said. “Security first restrained him but he did not cooperate. So our staff members came forward to foil him.”

The committee also revealed it has been trying to identify the man for an official apology. He also is known to have brought the flag to other festivals.