From Red Velvet Wendy to IVE Ahn Yu Jin, stage accidents lead to concerns over concert producers’ safety insensitivity
Safety issues caused by negligence in stage equipment preparation resurfaced due to IVE Ahn Yu Jin’s recent accident.
Ahn Yu Jin and her group IVE performed at “Music Core” special episode “2023 Ulsan Summer Festival” on the 12th. While singing the high note of the song “I AM”, firecrackers suddenly exploded near Ahn Yu Jin’s standing position. The smoke from firecrackers hit her face so she couldn’t open her eyes for about 10 seconds. However, when it came to her singing part again, the IVE member showed her professional side by opening her eyes and smiling brightly as if nothing happened.
Although there was no serious accident, fans poured criticism on the production team for their negligence in stage equipment setup.
Before Ahn Yu Jin’s accident, there have been numerous cases in which artists were injured due to stage equipment. During the rehearsal for the 2019 SBS Gayo Daejeon, Red Velvet Wendy fell from a platform over 2 meters high due to a stage equipment malfunction and improper installment of moving devices between stages. The accident caused Wendy to suffer serious injuries, such as wrist and pelvis fractures as well as cheekbones cracks. Netizens were even more frustrated knowing the production team proceeded with the rehearsal without taking proper measures.
Last year, MAMAMOO Wheein also had an eye injury during a university festival performance as the firecracker powder went into her eyes. The female singer had to receive treatment at the hospital after finishing her stage.
Despite frequent occurrences of stage accidents, there have been no improvements, and similar incidents continue to happen. Therefore, voices asking concert producers to prioritize artists’ safety are increasing.
Since it is hard to predict every accident in advance, proper prevention should be taken, such as placing firecrackers far from the stage. While enhancing stage quality with many devices is important, performance production teams should not forget to pay special attention to the safety of artists.
Source: Daum
