BTS departs for New York ... "We are sorry and grateful to the citizens who endured the inconvenience"

SOURCE: BTS, 뉴욕으로 출국…"불편 감내한 시민께 죄송하고 감사"

BTS' leader, RM, posted a long message on the fan communication platform Weverse on behalf of the group, saying, "We sincerely thank everyone who showed generous consideration and support so that our comeback stage could be completed safely."

He continued, "We bow our heads in gratitude to the police, fire department, government, and local officials who worked hard to make sure the concert remained safe without major incidents despite the huge crowds," and expressed special thanks to the citizens who endured inconvenience for the Gwanghwamun concert.

BTS wrote, "We are truly sorry and grateful to the citizens, as well as the merchants and workers around the Gwanghwamun area, for enduring various inconveniences such as traffic control and noise. We will never take for granted the warm consideration you showed in embracing our concert, and we will remember it deeply for a long time."

After successfully completing their comeback concert, BTS departed for New York via Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 22nd to carry out their overseas schedule.

COMMENTS:

-Give a proper apology before you leave.

-Compensate the damages you've caused.

-If you're really sorry, compensate the damages you've causedㅋ

-Return the citizens' tax money.

-It's f*cking ridiculous how they're just running off overseas right away.

-Don't we need to restrict traffic on Incheon Airport too?ㅠㅠ

-Huk... Shouldn't they deploy 15,000 extra security guards at the airport??

-Did you even get the citizens' consents?? At least compensate the damages you've caused before leaving.

-Don't just talk, apologize with money.

-I bet they'll go on some late-night talk show and show off photos from their Gwanghwamun concert.

-Scammersㅋㅋㅋ

-They're just acting like it's none of their business now??

-You even conducted body searches on the citizens of your own country due to terror threats. How can you trust going overseas then???

-They have no conscience.

-Don't ever come back.

Continue reading BTS departs for New York ... "We are sorry and grateful to the citizens who endured the inconvenience"

Kim Dongwan, who previously sparked controversy for advocating the legalization of prostitution, publicly supports MC Dingdong after assaulting a female BJ

SOURCE: '성매매 합법화 주장' 김동완, 여성 BJ 폭행 MC 딩동 공개 응원

Shinhwa's Kim Donghwan faced backlash after publicly showing support for MC Dingdong, who is currently embroiled in a controversy after assaulting a female BJ.

On the 21st, Kim Dongwan posted on his social media, "Anyone supports Dingdong for no reason?", along with a link to MC Dingdong's account.

Previously, on the 7th, MC Dingdong caused a stir during a livestream by grabbing a female BJ by her hair, committing a physical assault.

At the time, when the female BJ identified as A mentioned his past drunk driving incident, MC Dingdong became enraged and suddenly grabbed her hair, an act that was broadcast live.

MC Dingdong briefly left the scene before returning to the studio to apologize. He said, "I had barely had any work for about a year and a half. I was just starting to try again. When my past was suddenly brought up, my emotions flared up. I have trauma regarding comments about that incident from two years ago."

As the controversy grew, MC Dingdong released a statement on the 11th, saying, "Some of the content spreading online is not true or based on exaggerated interpretations based on selective scenes," and announced legal action, "I will be proceeding with both civil and criminal lawsuits through my legal representative."

However, public opinion remained cold. In 2022, MC Dingdong was caught driving under the influence and was brought to trial for fleeing after refusing police orders to stop. He eventually received a suspended prison sentence.

Amid this situation, fans reacted coldly to Kim Dongwan's supportive post. Notably, he already faced harsh criticism a month ago for advocating the legalization of prostitution.

When accused for allegedly supporting prostitution legalization, Kim Dongwan explained, "What I'm concerned about is minors entering the system, lack of disease control, and exploitation within illegal structures," but the controversy did not easily subside.

In 2021, Kim Dongwan also faced backlash after posting content on social media regarding Lee Soo of MC the Max, who had previously been involved in a scandal related to prostitution.

Continue reading Kim Dongwan, who previously sparked controversy for advocating the legalization of prostitution, publicly supports MC Dingdong after assaulting a female BJ

Nana recalls the robbery incident ... "My mother almost lost consciousness, it was a major emergency"

SOURCE: 나나, 강도 피해 언급했다…"母 거의 실신상태, 너무 위급했다" (전참시)

Nana recalled the dangerous situation as she spoke about being a victim of robbery.

On the 21st, Nana appeared on MBC 'Omniscient Interfering View' as a guest along with her 'soulmate' manager. Nana revealed the home where the robbery took place and discussed about the incident.

Nana recalled, "A robber broke in at dawn. My mom woke up because our dogs were barking a lot. But the robber threatened her and eventually forced his way inside."

She continued, "It was an extremely dangerous situation once the robber entered the house. My mother almost lost her consciousness."

She shared, "Since then, I've places self-defense tools all over the house so I can use them in emergencies. I keep them at home and sometimes give them as gifts to my friends," showing how cautious she has become after the incident.

Nana also expressed her gratitude to her manager, noting how she has taken great care of her mother since the incident.

Nana stated, "After the incident, my manager has been taking such good care of my mom. Whenever my mom goes somewhere, she always goes with her. Even when I'm away for work, she stays over to sleep with my mom. I'm incredibly grateful for that."

Continue reading Nana recalls the robbery incident ... "My mother almost lost consciousness, it was a major emergency"

HYBE makes 10 billion KRW from BTS' Gwanghwamun concert, while citizens lose 30 billion KRW

SOURCE: BTS 방탄 광화문 공연으로 하이브는 100억 벌고 시민들은 300억 손해봄

The real price tag of BTS' 'free' Gwanghwamun concert

Is it free just because they don't charge for tickets? We broke down the actual costs.

HYBE's cost: 90 million KRW (venue rental + filming permits)

Citizens' cost: ~30 billion KRW (taxes + inconvenience + loses)

Direct public costs (taxes): 10.5 to 10.7 billion KRW

-Deployment of 6,700 police officers: 6.5 to 10 billion KRW
-Deployment of 3,400 Seoul city & fire department staff: 2 to 3 billion KRW
-Traffic control, additional temporary trains, welcoming events: 1.5 to 3 billion KRW
-Gyeongbokgung Palace closure, Ministry. Culture crisis alert: 0.5 to 1 billion KRW

Hidden costs (private sector):4.9 to 13.1 billion KRW

-Restrictions of 31 buildings and loss of business sales: 2.8 to 6.8 billion KRW
-33-hour closure of Sejong-daero, traffic congestion: 0.9 to 2.7 billion KRW
-Forced annual leave, wedding disruptions, delivery bans: 0.7 to 2 billion KRW
-Public safety gaps, special responses by 3 major telecom companies: 0.5 to 1.5 billion KRW

HYBE's tour operating profit is more than 400 billion KRW, while the estimated social cost of ~30 billion KRW is only 0.8% of that

Cost per Seoul citizen: ~3,160 KRW
Cost per South Korea citizen: ~590 KRW

This wasn't a free concert. The bill was passed to the citizens. In the UK and the US, the costs for police deployed at large private events are billed to the organizers. Only South Korea lacks such a system. This isn't meant to be attacking BTS, but questioning the structure.

COMMENTS:

(To be updated)

Continue reading HYBE makes 10 billion KRW from BTS' Gwanghwamun concert, while citizens lose 30 billion KRW

Late Sulli's brother takes a shot at BTS Gwanghwamun concert ... "It's not like there are no other places to hold it"

SOURCE: 故설리 친오빠, BTS 광화문 공연 저격.."할 곳 없는 것도 아니고" [스타이슈]

The older brother of the late Sulli, former member of f(x) and actress, commented on BTS' Gwanghwamun concert.

On the 21st, he posted on his personal account, "If you can't give happiness, you shouldn't cause misery either."

He added, "It's not like there are no other places to hold a concert," criticizing the choice of venue.

He also directly mentioned BTS, adding, "Good luck, BTS."

The late Sulli's brother's remarks appeared to be criticizing the heavy congestion occurring near Gwanghwamun, where the BTS concert is being held.

BTS is set to hold their free comeback concert, 'BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG' at 8 PM (KST) that day in the Gwanghwamun Square to celebrate the release of their 5th full-length album.

Police estimated that up to 260,000 people would gather in the area on the day of the event. Accordingly, they deployed around 6,700 personnel, including 70 riot police units and experts in traffic, crime prevention, and special forces, along with 5,400 pieces of equipment.

The control on-site was also strict. A total of 31 entry gates were installed in the core areas, with walkthrough metal detectors to inspect the belongings of both audiences and passersby.

Meanwhile, Sulli passed away on October 14, 2019 at the age of 25.

Continue reading Late Sulli's brother takes a shot at BTS Gwanghwamun concert ... "It's not like there are no other places to hold it"

100,000 people instead of 260,000, why was it less than expected? ... Police estimate 40,000

SOURCE: 26만명 아닌 10만명, 왜 기대보다 적었나?…경찰은 4만 추산

The highly anticipated BTS' comeback concert, which drew attention from all over the world, has ended successfully. Thanks to thorough safety preparations, the event ended without major incidents. However, some are expressing disappointment as the crowd (roughly 100,000) fell short of the expected 260,000 people.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, as of 8 PM (KST) on the 21st, between 40,000 to 42,000 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the 'BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG' was held. The police also unofficially estimated the crowd at around 42,000.

On the other hand, the organizer, HYBE, stated that 'about 104,000 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Square.' Even based on the organizer's estimated number, there is still a significant gap from the number of audience which was originally expected to be 260,000 people.

Analysis suggests that many citizens refrained from visiting Gwanghwamun following warnings from authorities about potential safety risks due to overcrowding. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education even distributed notices to elementary, middle, and high schools, urging students to avoid visiting Gwanghwamun on this day.

Additionally, since the concert was also livestreamed on Netflix, many people likely felt that it was more practical to watch comfortably from home.

Poor accessibility caused by traffic restrictions to Gwanghwamun Square and the inconvenience to commute home after the concert also became reasons why citizens hesitated to go. One BTS fan said, "When I heard that the concert would only be about an hour, I decided not to go. Since I didn't get a ticket, I decided it was better to watch it on Netflix instead of forcing myself to go."

Than to the thorough preparations by the police and organizers for a potential crowd of up to 260,000, pedestrian safety around Gwanghwamun remained well managed even after the concert. Subway stations that had been skipping stops like City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2), Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), and Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), returned to normal operation from 10 PM (KST).

Furthermore, the Seoul city government also deployed a total of 12 additional trains to help audiences return home.

Meanwhile, some nearby convenience store owners and shopkeepers, which had increased their stock in anticipation of 260,000 people, are expressing their complaints on social media about having 'too much leftover inventory' due to the crowd number that is smaller than expected.

Continue reading 100,000 people instead of 260,000, why was it less than expected? ... Police estimate 40,000

Did 'Single's Inferno 5' Song Seungil get properly scolded for Kim Mingee's 'cut off' remark?

SOURCE: '솔지5' 송승일, 김민지 '단절' 발언에 제대로 혼났나 "거기 이야기는..."('집대성')

'Single's Inferno 5' Song Seungil addressed the reunion episode where he received heavy criticism.

On the 20th, a video featuring Jo Yoosik and Hong Jiyeon from 'EXchange 4' and Kim Goeun and Song Seungil from 'Single's Inferno 5' was posted on Daesung's Youtube channel.

During the episode, Daesung commented, "It seems like everyone from 'Single's Inferno 5' gets along well." Song Seungil replied, "Right," but couldn't hide his uneasy expression. When Daesung brought up the 'Single's Inferno' reunion episode, Song Seungil hesitated, saying, "Ah...About that..." as his eyes began to well up with tears, drawing laughter.

In the reunion episode, Song Seungil faced backlash after her final couple, Kim Mingee, said, "It's ambiguous. I don't think we're even colleagues. I feel like I've been cut off by him." Afterwards, Song Seungil explained, "I had honestly shared my confusing situation with her. From her perspective, it may have felt like she was being cut off instead of getting a closure. I was cautious and felt sorry about that. After the broadcast, I apologized for my immature behavior."

Continue reading Did 'Single's Inferno 5' Song Seungil get properly scolded for Kim Mingee's 'cut off' remark?