ⓒ JoongAng Ilbo / JoongAng Ilbo Japanese version2022.09.13 18:01
The venue for the 2030 Busan World Expo concert praying for the 2030 Busan World Expo has been changed. The changed destination will be a performance venue with tens of thousands of seats and facilities for dispersed entrances, and Busan citizens and BTS fans welcome this move. However, at least several thousand foreigners are expected to enter and exit at the same time before and following the performance, leaving the issue of quarantine of the new coronavirus as a homework.
◇ The controversial BTS performance in Busan ended up at Asiad Stadium
According to Hive’s official announcement on the 13th and the explanation from Busan City, the venue for BTS concert ‘Yet To Come’ in Busan’ scheduled for October 15th will be Gijang-gun Ilgwang-eup. The site of the former Korea Glass Factory was transformed into the Busan Asiad Stadium in Yeonje-gu. Originally, the concert was planned to have a special stage set up on the premises of the Korea Glass Factory, which has an outdoor space of 140,000 square meters, for 100,000 people to watch.
However, it was pointed out that the site would be inaccessible from major entrances such as Busan Station and Gimhae Airport, and that infrastructure such as toilets would be severely lacking. There is only one entrance/exit to the venue for 100,000 spectators. Civil society groups also urged the change of location.
After all, the change of the performance venue was officially announced on the 2nd. The management office said, “While protecting the purpose of the performance, we will change the location to create a comfortable viewing environment with the accessibility and convenience of the audience as the top priority.” The Asiad Stadium has 53,769 seats and has 72 separate entrances and exits, making it a venue where people can enter and leave safely. In June 2019, he also held a concert that doubled as a BTS fan meeting with 45,000 people at Asiad Auxiliary Stadium.
According to the agency’s announcement posted on the community platform Weverse, it is possible to confirm the winning seats for the performance from the 19th, and from this day onwards, general advance sales of standing seats and reserved seats will begin. Ticket sales will begin on the 21st. However, the number of spectators of 100,000 seems to be unavoidable.
A Busan city official said, “Considering the stage space and other factors, it is estimated that around 50,000 spectators can be accommodated. We will discuss it with the other side,” he said.
◇ “Rip-off” is still the same, and epidemic prevention is homework
Although the venue has been changed, the issue of rip-off fees from lodging companies in the area is still raging around the 15th of next month, the day of the performance. As a result of checking through online reservation sites and famous accommodation apps, most of the accommodation companies in the area have closed reservations at this time.
Some lodging companies, which used to charge between 50,000 won and 150,000 won per night on weekends, have set prices between 300,000 and 2,000,000 won. A BTS fan living in Busan said, “After the location of the performance venue, the next thing fans were worried regarding was the rip-off accommodation fee. There are many fans who are worried that it might happen.”
Thousands of foreigners and other foreigners are expected to gather in Busan at once during the concert period, and the issue of preventing the spread of the new coronavirus remains a homework issue. In Busan, the number of infections continues to reach 4,000 per day on weekdays and 3,000 on weekends this month. The number remained around 1,500 during the Chuseok holidays, but on the 13th, the number of infections rose once more to 3,200. I am concerned that the BTS concert may become a variable in the resurgence of the new corona infection that started in Chuseok or when it enters a calm phase. Although the “pre-entry PCR test” was abolished on March 3, those entering the country must undergo a PCR test within 24 hours of entering the country. Violation of this may result in imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.
Busan City plans to proactively implement epidemic prevention measures, as the BTS concert this time was meant to commemorate the bid for the World Expo. A Busan city official said, “Once the number of foreigners in the audience, such as invited guests, is confirmed, we plan to discuss quarantine measures with our agency. I would like to ask for the cooperation of related organizations such as airports.”
