The Korea Popular Music Performance Industry Association or Umgonghyup raised its voice, demanding that the government execute COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.
The K-Pop Industry is Suffering Because of COVID-19
The Umgonghyup, which released a statement for the government on September 1, stated that the popular music performance industry has been going on day by day without any sales activity for more than a year since COVID-19 started.
Although they have been cooperating with the government's COVID-19 quarantine measures and sacrificing a lot, the result has constantly been changing, along with incomprehensible regulations and repeated hope and advice from the authorities.
They added that the performances prepared according to the guidelines were close to the schedule without any discussion first and often collapsed because of an administrative order unilaterally and violently halting every gathering, and the worst is the closure of the business.
Umgonghyup added that the collapse of the popular music performance industry is not just a problem for performance companies. Some news said that companies and workers with world-class technology, along with the singers and performers who are the main characters on stage, are making a living with other jobs.
Their disappearance means that long-time fields and music networks will disappear. The ecosystem of the K-Pop industry, which is very difficult to achieve, is now threatened.
The popular music industry, which many relevant ministries and media blame as the culprit in the spread of COVID-19, misleading the public by removing only the stimulating number of people in the audience, has never stopped despite countless people and confirmed patients.
Unlike other performance genres that have been performing continuously, discriminatory rules prevented regular performances from being performed for a year and a half now.
With the halting of gatherings, they had no choice but to endure social condemnation and financial damage.
However, even after narrowing down the category to other multi-facility businesses or performances ever since COVID-19 began. It is only the popular music performance where there has not been a single transmission case from an infected person.
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Umgonghyup Demands action from the Korean government to Fight COVID-19
Furthermore, popular music performances should not be discriminated against from cultural multi-use facilities and other genres. Establishing COVID-19 quarantine guidelines that won't change so that future plans could be made.
Also, compensation for damages from canceled performances should be prepared. At least the third stage of social distancing should be set up only for performances.
Only vaccinated people can watch popular music performances. And lastly, clear solutions to the collapsed popular music performance should also be presented.
The Umgonghyup stated that they hope that the government and other related ministries will come up with clear answers and some measures to their requests as soon as possible.
They warned that Umgonghyup will take strong action by conducting collective efforts, including demonstrations and non-compliance with regulations and administrative lawsuits in solidarity with all the relevant industries and associations.
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Written by Annie Barmaine.
