K-Pop Saved The World Scout Jamboree, But Soccer Fans Are Furious

After the 2023 World Scout Jamboree was branded a “national embarrassment” following a serious of mishaps, many say this week’s last-minute K-Pop Super Live concert “saved” the event. However, there’s one group of people furious with how the concert played out: soccer fans.

As many K-Pop fans have heard, the 25th World Scout Jamboree was plagued by one disaster after another from the very beginning. A week before Typhoon Khanun forced scouts to evacuate the picturesque Saemangeum site, the unshaded campsite was hit by ongoing heatwaves that gave hundreds of people heatstroke on day one — all with no hospitals nearby. Other horror stories included rotten food, unsanitary conditions, and even an incident where a man walked into a girls’ shower facility. Conditions were so bad, 4,500 UK scouts pulled out of the event early at a devastating cost of £1 million GBP (about $1.27 million USD) to their contingent.

Scouts used water pumps as they tried to endure the scorching weather. | The Korea Herald

After severe hot weather conditions made the original location too dangerous, the World Scout Jamboree’s planned closing ceremony and anticipated K-Pop concert also had to be relocated. With so many scouts in attendance, the organizers seemingly only had one option for a large enough venue: a soccer stadium.

Saemangeum prior to evacuation | The Times

Initially, organizers chose the Jeongju World Cup Stadium. But, with Typhoon Khanun on the horizon, they had to shift once again, this time to the Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium. This whirlwind of changes wasn’t ideal for the jamboree or the scouts in attendance, but it created even more havoc in the world of soccer, leaving fans and teams fuming.

‘K-Pop Super Live’ at Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium | The Independent

In Jeongju, the scheduled FA Cup semi-final game between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC and Incheon United FC had to be abruptly cancelled. A last-minute move back to Seoul ensued, but the damage was already done, derailing the scheduling and causing chaos. Jeonbuk’s coach Dan Petrescu couldn’t hide his bewilderment and anger, stating that he had never experienced anything like it.

Dan Petrescu, Jeonbuk FC coach | The AFC

Unfortunately, the situation was just as bad for FC Seoul and its fans. Since K-Pop Super Live required the installation of a massive stage and seating on the field, the pitch suffered severe and unavoidable damage. Given how important turf condition is in soccer, both for the players’ safety and the flow of the game, this is no trivial matter.

To make matters worse, Sangam World Cup Stadium had recently undergone a significant renovation, with a budget of almost ₩1.00 billion KRW (about $752,000 USD) allocated to install hybrid grass. The Scout Jamboree K-Pop concert rendered all that work futile overnight.

Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium | Ilgan Sports

While the government did promise to try to minimize damage and restore the field quickly after the concert, soccer fans are criticizing them for using the sport as a pawn in their game. Their icy reaction comes at the same time as widespread public discontent over the government’s handling of the entire World Scout Jamboree event, which forced numerous parties to make sacrifices at short notice.

Many allege, for example, that artists like IVE were forced to participate under the guise of “volunteering.” Fans responded with strong criticism, questioning why K-Pop artists should have to clean up the Jamboree’s mess. The organizers, meanwhile, were criticized for subjecting workers to seriously unsafe conditions during the concert setup.

IVE at the 2023 World Scout Jamboree closing concert | Dispatch

Despite the chaos and suboptimal conditions, the K-Pop concert thankfully went off without a hitch, with artists like ITZY, THE BOYZ and more putting on a rousing performance that thrilled scouts in attendance — once again affirming K-Pop’s cultural power and global standing. But, it remains to be seen whether the government will be held accountable for their hasty decisions, mismanagement, or the frustration of soccer fans and the public alike.