On September 11, a user identifying as a fan of Son Heung-min posted on an online community, revealing that they had requested the Seoul city government cancel IU’s encore concert, scheduled for September 22 at Seoul’s Sangam World Cup Stadium.
The user expressed concern that the large crowd expected at the concert would worsen the condition of the grass, which could negatively affect the “2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Qualifier” match between South Korea and Iraq on October 15.
They also called for the concert to be immediately canceled to allow proper turf management for the upcoming football match.
In addition, this user cited the “Seoul Municipal Sports Facility Installation and Operation Ordinance”, which states that the use of facilities may be restricted or canceled if deemed necessary for facility management.
Such a petition was suspected to be made due to Son Heung-min’s dissatisfaction with the field’s condition following the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier match against Palestine on September 5. At the time, the football player noted that the poor grass quality affected ball control and dribbling, making it difficult to play a fast-tempo game.
On the other hand, IU is set to perform her “2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT ENCORE: THE WINNING” on September 21 and 22 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, with over 100,000 tickets sold across both dates.
IU’s agency, EDAM Entertainment, had earlier stated that they would strictly follow ground use guidelines to minimize damage to the turf.
“On the day of the event, we will proceed with seat arrangements and begin immediate clean-up right after the Sunday concert ends. We will also install perforated grass protection mats to ensure proper ventilation and watering. To maintain the best possible condition within the venue, we are continuously coordinating with various relevant officials and actively cooperating”, the agency stated.
Source: Naver
