hankyoreh

By Park Tae-woo

K-pop superstar Rain plans to hold a free street concert in Apgujeong neighborhood of Seoul’s Gangnam District on Oct. 9. His wish to stage a concert, however, remains up in the air, as the singer is scheduled begin basic training for his 22 month-long mandatory military service next month, before the event is scheduled to take place.

The Gangnam Ward Office (GWO) and the entertainment agency CJ E&M have been in talks over organizing the free concert in front of the CGV movie theater in Apgujeong neighborhood. The k-pop star has reportedly expressed his willingness to perform free for residents, since he has been a publicity ambassador for the GWO and wanted to show the public his gratitude for his stardom before he joins the army. CJ E&M also reportedly agreed to organize the concert in an effort to promote the opening of its movie theater CGV in the area.

The ward office is aiming to use the Rain’s performance to win a large group of tourists from overseas, particularly where the Hallyu, Korean wave has hit hard, for a fashion festival slated to be held in Gangnam District during the first week of October. The office also has a long-term plan to promote the district’s appeal as a tourist destination to overseas followers of the Hallyu, by allowing major entertainment agencies including SM Entertainment and JYP, each of whose head office is located in the district, to hold a free concert every year.

Rain‘s concert, however, must receive approval from the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), the most important factor. The approval is required for his expected appearance on stage. To grant approval, the MMA must postpone the pop star’s enlistment to the military service scheduled to begin on Oct. 4 in order for the event to take place. The MMA is currently considering whether to issue another grant in delaying his service, since they have already granted Rain a number of extensions over the past seven years.

Expected heavy traffic congestion from blocking half the ten lanes of the main road in the metropolitan area for the event during the rush hour is another concern among those involved in the project.

“Due to the limited space, we are trying to limit the number of seats to several hundred, making it a symbolic stage for the star,” said a GWO official.

But an expert on organizing performance expressed concerns that it could “turn the event into an uncontrollable occasion” as so many fans, expected to exceed a thousand, will try to crowd closer to see the star, with far fewer seats available to them.

(Translated by Kang Jin-kyu, Intern)　

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