Conservative mayor‘s action sparks allegations of censorship
Singer Lee Seung-hwan, whose Christmas Day concert in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, was unilaterally canceled by the city citing safety concerns, said he plans to take legal action.
Lee, who has been touring the country since November with his concert “Heaven,” marking the 35th anniversary of his debut, was scheduled to perform at the Gumi Arts Center's Grand Performance Hall on Dec. 25.
On Monday, the city announced the cancellation of the show, with Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho saying, “Given the risk of physical clashes between the audience and far-right groups, we had no choice but to cancel the concert for safety reasons.”
Lee, one of the most iconic musicians of the 1990s, performed at a rally calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 13. He has also donated 12.13 million won to the civic group Candlelight Action, the organization behind the candlelight protests calling for Yoon’s impeachment.
Prior to the cancellation, the mayor reportedly requested that Lee’s team submit a detailed plan for security at the concert and sign a written pledge that he would refrain from “political statements or actions that could cause misunderstanding.” Lee's team refused to comply with this request.
After Gumi City canceled the concert, Lee expressed regret over the decision and announced plans to pursue legal action.
“The legal and economic consequences resulting from this unilateral cancellation must not be borne by the taxpayers of Gumi but by those directly involved in this decision,” he said on social media.
The Musicians' Declaration Preparation Committee, a group of 2,645 musicians, issued a statement Monday, saying, "Cultural and artistic activities are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. We musicians express great disappointment and concern over Gumi City’s unilateral cancellation of Lee Seung-hwan's concert under the pretext of 'safety.'"
The committee described the city's move as setting a dangerous precedent that foreshadows censorship and control over the cultural and artistic community.
Meanwhile, Lee announced that the nationwide concert tour, originally planned to run until March, would now continue through July. “Following the news of the Gumi concert cancellation, several venues have reached out expressing interest in hosting the concert,” Lee wrote on his social media account Monday night.
jy@heraldcorp.com
