Dua Lipa and Jang Bum Joon's concerts in South Korea set to proceed despite martial law disruptions

Amid political turmoil, key South Korean events stay on track as top artists assure fans their shows will go ahead.

The entertainment industry in South Korea faced an unprecedented disruption on December 3, 2024, when President Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared martial law, only for it to be lifted six hours later.

The declaration and subsequent reversal caused chaos in the entertainment sector, with numerous events either postponed or proceeding under close scrutiny amid ongoing political uncertainties.

Singer Lee Seung Hwan was one of the first to react to the surprise announcement, initially canceling his highly anticipated concert. However, after the martial law was revoked, Lee announced that the event would proceed as scheduled, much to the relief of his fans. 

In contrast, an interview with actress Seo Hyun Jin, set for the morning of December 4, was canceled. 

A public relations agency confirmed, “Seo Hyun Jin’s interview has been canceled, and the interviews with Gong Yoo and Jung Yoon Ha scheduled for December 5th and 6th are currently under discussion.”

Director Yang Woo Suk, however, chose to go ahead with his planned interview for the movie Big Family. Event organizers made the decision to proceed after closely monitoring the situation.

International pop star Dua Lipa, who is currently on her Asian tour, had two concerts scheduled in South Korea on December 4th and 5th, marking her return to the country after six years. Despite the brief martial law declaration, Dua Lipa’s team confirmed that the shows would go on as planned. 

"We are monitoring the situation closely, but for now, the concerts will proceed," a representative said.

Likewise, singer Jang Bum Joon’s concerts on December 4th and 5th at Hyundai Card Understage remain unaffected. In a heartfelt message posted on his YouTube channel, Jang urged his followers, "Let’s all do our best today to protect our precious daily lives. Given the country’s turbulent situation, I won’t be posting anything for the next two days. Stay informed with the news, and I’ll see you at the concert."

Film screenings also continued as scheduled. The Crow and These Trivial Things both held their previews at Yongsan, Seoul, with organizers confirming that they would proceed despite the disruption. 

A representative from Pan Cinema, the distributor of The Crow, said, “The theater has not provided any directives, so we plan to proceed. If there are any changes, we’ll notify immediately.” Similarly, Green Narae Media, the distributor of These Trivial Things, confirmed their event would go ahead.

The martial law was declared by President Yoon at 10:23 PM on December 3rd but was swiftly revoked just six hours later at 4:27 AM on December 4th, in a televised address from the Yongsan Presidential Office. 

The brief period of uncertainty has caused significant confusion, but as the dust settles, it appears many events will proceed as planned, with organizers continuing to closely monitor any further developments.