Korean Entertainment Industry Halts Activities on New Year’s Day to Honor Jeju Airplane Crash Victims

Entertainment Industry Comes to a Halt Amid National Mourning

Recent tragic events have led many prominent figures in the entertainment sector to pause their promotional activities. This includes the highly anticipated episode of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, which featured actress Song Hye-kyo, marking her first television appearance in 17 years. Scheduled for broadcast on January 1st, the episode promoting her new film Dark Nuns has been postponed until next week.

Similarly, actor Song Joong-ki faced a setback in his promotional campaign for the film Bogota. His scheduled appearance on JTBC’s show Please Take Care of My Refrigerator 2 was also pushed to next week, reflecting the broader impact of the ongoing national mourning.

On December 31, the YouTube channel TEO announced the delay of the Salon Drip 2 episode featuring Song Joong-ki and Lee Hee-joon, which will now air at 6 p.m. on January 7th. Additionally, Joong-ki’s planned participation in SBS PowerFM’s Park Ha-sun’s Cinetown was canceled as well.

The year-end award ceremonies for Korea’s three major broadcasting networks were also put on hold until the mourning period concludes. Programs such as MBC’s Radio Star, Channel A’s Men’s Life These Days: Groom’s Class, and TV Chosun’s Miss 3, scheduled for January 1st, have all been canceled in memory of the victims.

Musicians within the industry have similarly chosen to halt performances. Notable artists, including Jo Yong-pil, Kim Jang-hoon, Lee Seung-hwan, Tei, and Ali, have all canceled their concerts, as have numerous K-pop events.

In contrast, singer Lim Young-woong has opted to proceed with his concert series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from January 2nd to 4th. His agency publicly stated on December 31st that they will keep the promise made to fans eagerly anticipating the event, along with the dedicated staff involved in the preparations.

Despite previous criticism over his insensitivity following the presidential impeachment, Lim Young-woong’s decision to continue with entertainment activities during this time of national grief has again sparked disappointment among the public.

A heartbreaking incident on December 29, 2024, when a Jeju Air aircraft crashed at Muan International Airport, has further intensified the nation’s mourning, with 179 of the 181 passengers tragically losing their lives. Consequently, Korea’s Acting President Choi Sang-mok has declared a mourning period that will last until midnight on January 4th.

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