Lee Seunghwan, "No Political Agitation" to Gumi City over 'Venue Cancellation'... Legal Action Planned

Gumi City "Cancellation of Lee Seunghwan Concert Venue on 25th... Safety Issues"
Lee Seunghwan "Unilateral and Unfair Venue Cancellation Decision"

Gumi City in Gyeongbuk expressed regret over the cancellation of singer Lee Seunghwan's 35th debut anniversary concert scheduled for the 25th, citing safety concerns. Lee Seunghwan also expressed his disappointment regarding the cancellation.

Lee Seunghwan: "Planning Legal Action Against Gumi City"

Singer Lee Seunghwan. Lee Seunghwan Instagram

On the 23rd, Lee Seunghwan posted on his Instagram, "I express my regret over Gumi City's unilateral decision to cancel the concert reservation," and added, "I plan to promptly take legal action against Gumi City." He further pointed out, "The legal and financial responsibilities arising from this unilateral and unjust cancellation will not be borne by Gumi City's taxpayers but by those involved in making this decision."

Lee Seunghwan stated, "Gumi City claims it was a 'decision for safety,' but I cannot agree," and asserted, "the real reason for the cancellation appears to be the 'refusal to sign the pledge.'" He explained, "The venue required the agency and singer Lee Seunghwan to sign a pledge stating that they would not engage in political agitation or politically misunderstood remarks according to the Gumi Culture and Arts Center performance permit regulations, and mentioned that failure to comply could result in cancellation."

He continued, "Demanding a 'pledge' that is not mentioned anywhere in the rental regulations or usage permit, including a pledge from the performer who is not even a contracting party, and requiring submission by a specific time on a Sunday close to the rental date (December 22, 2024, 2 PM), while threatening 'cancellation of the rental,' is an unreasonable demand," he criticized.

Lee Seunghwan Instagram

He said, "'Agitation' is defined as 'inciting others to take action.' I did not engage in 'political agitation,'" and lamented, "Some theaters' rental contracts include clauses that prohibit performances with political purposes, but since my performance was not a 'political purpose' event, there have been no issues with rentals until now."

Lee Seunghwan emphasized, "To be forced to sign a document stating 'I will not engage in politically misunderstood remarks' just before the performance, and to be told 'If you don't sign, the performance might be canceled'? this should never happen in the Republic of Korea, a democracy that values freedom of expression above all."

He also stated, "In December 2024, a musician was forced to 'step on a cross' just before a performance, and refused because it was unjust, resulting in the cancellation of the performance," adding, "This is a matter of 'freedom of expression.' A public institution demanded that the creator sign a document pledging not to engage in 'political misunderstandings or remarks' beforehand, and when the demand was not met, disadvantages occurred. It is regrettable and miserable. I will point out and work to change this issue to raise the level of our society."

Gumi City: "Lee Seunghwan Concert Canceled Considering Citizen and Audience Safety"

Earlier, Gumi City decided to cancel the reservation for Lee Seunghwan's 35th debut anniversary concert. Mayor Kim Jangho of Gumi held a press conference in the main conference room of Gumi City Hall that morning, stating, "The Lee Seunghwan concert scheduled to be held at the Gumi Culture and Arts Center on the 25th is canceled considering the safety of citizens and the audience," and added, "This is in accordance with Article 9 of the Gumi Culture and Arts Center Operation Ordinance."

Mayor Kim said, "On the 10th, we requested Lee's agency to refrain from political agitation," and "Nevertheless, Lee made political remarks such as 'It's good that impeachment happened' during his performance in Suwon on the 14th." He continued, "Due to these politically biased actions and remarks, local civic groups in Gumi expressed serious concerns and held two rallies on the 19th and 20th," and explained, "There was a possibility of serious safety management issues for citizens and the audience, so we sought advice from local private experts and university professors and gathered opinions from a committee."

Gumi City stated that last week they unofficially informed Lee Seunghwan's side about the possibility of concert cancellation while discussing safety issues. It was reported that refund and return matters related to the concert will be handled later through legal representatives.