The ’25th World Scout Jamboree as Much as a Bird’, which was on the cutting board due to hasty management and crippled controversy, ended on the 11th with a closing ceremony and ‘K-Pop Super Live Concert’.
The event barely ended after twists and turns, but the aftereffects of this incident are not light in that it clearly revealed the reality of Korean society’s endemic complacency and desk administration. And, oddly enough, ‘politics and administration’ caused the wrongdoing, and the backward behavior in which ‘sports and popular culture’ were used to deal with it left a bitter aftertaste.
The government and the Jamboree Organizing Committee originally planned to hold a K-pop concert and closing ceremony in the campground area as new, but decided to change the date and location due to safety issues such as heat waves. A soccer field was the alternative chosen by the organizing committee, which had a sudden change and was unable to accommodate a large number of people to hold the event.
The organizing committee selected the Jeonju World Cup Stadium adjacent to the venue, but due to the influence of Typhoon Kanun, the performance venue was changed once more to Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul. It was none other than the K-League and soccer fans who suffered the most from this unpredictable ‘bomb rotation’.
Jeonbuk suffered confusion when the FA Cup semi-final against Incheon, scheduled for the 9th at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, was canceled. As a result, the final location was changed to Seoul for the second time, but the already out of sync schedule was unavoidable. Above all, the appearance of the government and local governments unilaterally notifying Jeonbuk clubs without prior consultation was against common sense. Jeonbuk coach Dan Petrescu from Romania couldn’t hide his absurdity and anger enough to say, “I can’t believe it. This is the first time I’ve experienced this in my life.”
FC Seoul, which lost the Sangam World Cup Stadium, was also struck by lightning. As a large-scale stage and seats were installed in the ground in preparation for K-pop concerts and closing ceremonies, damage to the lawn became inevitable. The condition of the grass was a sensitive issue that affected the progress of the game and whether or not players were injured.
In Sangam, A-matches are often held, and even though it is a stadium representing Korean soccer, the national team players have been complaining that the lawn maintenance is poor. This year, the Seoul Facilities Management Corporation invested a large budget of 1 billion won to renew the hybrid lawn, but all the efforts so far were in vain due to the sudden Jamboree event.
The government explained that it paid attention to the installation of the stage to minimize damage to the lawn. He also promised to restore it as quickly as possible after the event so that there is no disruption to the soccer game. However, soccer fans are coldly responding, saying, “It’s like giving a bottle and giving a medicine.” Many soccer fans are raising their voices that they should be held accountable for the Jamboree disruption and the government’s ‘unilateral sacrifice under the guise of cooperation’.
The appearance of K-pop and idol stars being mobilized as ‘relief pitchers’ for a failed national event is also evaluated as backward. The K-pop concert, which was urgently organized and promoted by the decision of the so-called ‘high-ranking people’ to cover up the incompetence of the government and local governments, was unreasonable enough to say that it was fortunate that there was no accident.
While the stage was being set up for a K-pop concert, a typhoon was passing by near the Korean Peninsula. Experts pointed out that large-scale performances with 30,000 to 40,000 people require a long preparation period and more sensitive outdoor performances require preparation for more variables. However, the workers at the site at the time had to carry out the stage installation work at the risk of safety in a tight time frame and unfavorable weather.
It was the same that the artists who participated in the performance were also embarrassed by the sudden schedule. It is known that there was not enough time to prepare a high-quality stage, and the rehearsal situation was poor as it rained even on the day of the performance due to the influence of the typhoon.
In addition, while promoting this K-pop concert, the government and officials caused controversy over ‘forced mobilization’ under the guise of voluntary participation in the process of recruiting artists. Rep. Seong Il-jong of People’s Power proposed to have BTS, who is serving in the military, appear at the Jamboree Concert, but was met with a backlash from public opinion criticizing fans saying, “Why do K-pop stars have to deal with the Jamboree, which is in limping?”
Fortunately, K-pop artists such as New Jeans, ITZY, The Boyz, and Ive showed off their best performances with a bright appearance despite the chaotic atmosphere and poor conditions. BTS, who stood at the center of the controversy, supported by providing photo card sets free of charge, although they did not participate. The concert was successfully completed without major accidents thanks to the efforts of the artists and the enthusiastic response of the audience. This is a scene that once again proves the status of K-pop, which has been recognized for its competitiveness based on its long-accumulated experience and know-how on the world stage.
However, the success of this concert was a separate issue from the Jamboree. Thanks to the brand image that K-pop has built up so far and the dedication and sacrifice of the workers and artists who have worked hard in the field, it is only a ‘beauty of sorts’ that has been achieved in the worst situation. is never given.
It is difficult to overturn the evaluation of this Jamboree as a ‘failed event’ apart from the K-pop concert. Even though it was an event held after six years of preparation and huge budget for gathering people from all over the world, fever patients appeared one after another, outdated and abnormal facilities, a lack of professional manpower from planning to actual work, and the absence of a responsible control tower, it was a mess. was a continuation of In the end, some of the participating countries resigned early, and they could not avoid the humiliation of being ‘global international disgrace’ as they became an issue focused on by foreign media due to poor preparation.
Even more sadly, in the process of handling this situation, it was the easygoing and frivolous perception of the political world, as if they were still looking at sports and popular culture as subcontractors or consumables for political follow-up under the pretext of ‘state and national interest’.메이저놀이터
In the process, the political world could not show any common sense, communication, or respect for the sports and pop culture worlds, which were forced to make unilateral sacrifices. As long as the perception that the soccer stadium can be taken away, a concert held, and BTS and artists can be mobilized at any time like a controlled event remains in the political world, we must not forget that this pitiful situation can repeat itself at any time.