Lee Seunghwan Files Damage Lawsuit Against Gumi Mayor... "Recruiting 100 Plaintiffs Among Ticket Holders Who Faced Unilateral Cancellation"

"Only 100 Recruited Due to Rapid Progress and Practical Workload"

Singer Lee Seunghwan, who had threatened to file a damages lawsuit after the cancellation of the concert hall rental in Gumi City, Gyeongbuk Province, has now launched full-scale legal action.

On the 27th, Lee's legal representative, lawyer Lim Jaesung of the law firm Haemaru, posted a notice titled "Notice of Plaintiff Recruitment for Damages Lawsuit" on Lee Seunghwan's official fan cafe and social media (SNS), announcing plans for the damages lawsuit.

Singer Lee Seunghwan. Lee Seunghwan Instagram

Lawyer Lim stated, "This lawsuit is a damages claim filed against Mayor Kim Jangho of Gumi, who unilaterally and unjustly canceled the rental contract for the Gumi Culture and Arts Center on December 23, causing the cancellation of Lee Seunghwan's 35th anniversary concert 'HEAVEN' scheduled for December 25 in Gumi."

He added, "After consulting with Lee Seunghwan, we decided to limit the recruitment of plaintiffs to 100 ticket holders of the concert involved in this case, considering the need for a swift procedure and practical burdens."

On the 23rd, Mayor Kim stated, "Lee Seunghwan's side, through their legal representative, expressed in writing their opposition, stating they were unwilling to sign the attached pledge not to engage in political speech." He further explained, "Due to concerns over potential physical clashes between the audience and conservative right-wing groups, we had no choice but to cancel the concert for safety reasons and notified the cancellation of the rental in the morning."

In response, Lee's side announced legal action. Lawyer Lim, appearing on the podcast 'Maebul Show' the previous day, said, "Although we could claim a large amount of damages for the cancellation of the Gumi concert, we decided to pursue a lawsuit that the court can recognize." He added, "We are currently proceeding with a damages claim lawsuit exceeding 200 million won." Furthermore, he stated, "We plan to file a constitutional complaint to confirm that requiring entertainers to sign a pledge not to engage in political speech or political agitation by local government heads or similar state institutions before a performance is unconstitutional."