Four Audience Members Taken to Hospital Suspected of Heat-Related Illness at Psy Heumbbeok Show Gwangju Concert...

Feels like 31 degrees... 78 people received emergency treatment

Four people showing suspected symptoms of heat-related illnesses, including exhaustion, were transported to the hospital during singer Psy's concert in Gwangju.

On the 7th, the Gwangju Fire Headquarters announced that four spectators at the 'Psy Hmphok Show Summer Swag (SUMMER SWAG) 2024' held the previous afternoon at the World Cup Stadium in Seo-gu, Gwangju, complained of symptoms of heat-related illnesses and were taken to the hospital. In addition to these individuals, 78 others received emergency treatment on-site by receiving water or salt or resting briefly at safety booths. However, no safety accidents or crowd crush incidents occurred. As of 6 p.m. that day, the apparent temperature at the representative Gwangju station was 31.3 degrees Celsius.

Last year, singer Psy held his signature summer concert 'Psy Hmphbok Show - Summer Swag 2023' at the Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul.
[Photo by P Nation, Yonhap News]

Psy's Hmphok Show started on May 29 in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and will continue until August 24 in nine cities nationwide, including Daegu, Gwacheon, Daejeon, Sokcho, Bucheon, Incheon, and Suwon. The Hmphok Show is Psy's signature concert, characterized by about 300 tons of water being sprayed throughout each performance. This show is also a popular event where scalped tickets are rampant at prices higher than the official price. On May 19, Psy appealed on his Instagram, "If you thoroughly ignore premium tickets, reselling, and resellers exploiting loopholes in current laws, I will definitely release cancellation tickets on Interpark the day before cancellation fees occur," urging fans to purchase tickets at face value through this method. Additionally, some accommodations in areas where the Hmphok Show is held raised their room rates by more than 50,000 won on the day of the concert, sparking controversy over price gouging.

Meanwhile, last year, during American pop star Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' concert in Brazil, a fan died of heatstroke. The woman, known to be a 23-year-old college student, was found through an autopsy to have died from heatstroke accompanied by cardiovascular shock and severe lung damage. At that time, the highest temperature in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, reached 39.1 degrees Celsius, and the apparent temperature at the venue was reported to be close to 60 degrees Celsius. Moreover, the local event organizer in Brazil prohibited spectators from bringing water bottles for safety reasons, causing many to suffer from dehydration symptoms.

On the 28th of last month, when the daytime high temperature in the Seoul area exceeded 33 degrees Celsius, creating sweltering heat, a child visiting the fountain at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, cooled off by playing in the water. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

Heat-related illnesses occur when exposed to heat for extended periods, with typical symptoms including headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue, and decreased consciousness. Types of heat-related illnesses include heatstroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat edema. To prevent heat-related illnesses, it is necessary to wear loose and light clothing, stay cool by showering frequently, drink water regularly even if not thirsty, avoid outdoor activities such as work or exercise during the hottest hours from noon to 5 p.m., and stay in cool places.