Tens of 1000’s of scouts danced, sang and waved glow sticks at an enormous Ok-pop competition in Seoul on Friday, as South Korea sought to salvage a problem-plagued jamboree with “the power of Korean culture”.
The quadrennial world jamboree gathered 43,000 scouts in North Jeolla province, however an unprecedented heatwave prompted mass diseases, US and UK contingents left early amid stories of dire campsite situations, and a tropical storm lastly compelled a full evacuation this week.
The scouts have been dispersed throughout the nation and despatched on government-sponsored cultural excursions, however the “K-pop Superlive” live performance — that includes main acts together with NewDenims and The Boyz — reunited all of the jamboree members for a grand finale.
Tens of 1000’s of scouts in vibrant uniforms and neckties, some carrying face paint and waving flags, stuffed Seoul’s World Cup Stadium Friday.
“The last few days have not been easy,” stated Ahmad Alhendawi, secretary-general of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, on the official closing ceremony forward of the live performance, including to loud cheers that that they had lastly “reunited our jamboree”.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instructed the scouts that he hoped “the cultural experiences you had in various parts of Korea… will remain as beautiful memories for you”.
Ok-pop teams together with HolyBang, The Boyz, ATBO and The New Six — the latter carrying scout-themed costumes — then carried out to rapturous applause from the largely teenage scouts.
The scouts, many carrying vibrant raincoats, may very well be seen singing alongside, dancing and enthusiastically waving glow sticks.
Some used their smartphones to seize the faces of the Ok-pop stars, with many celebrating wildly when the cameras zoomed in on their faces, projecting them on the large display.
Traffic management in Sangam-dong, the district the place the stadium is situated in Seoul, started hours earlier than the live performance, leading to severe congestion within the space. More than 1,000 buses carried scouts to the venue.
Seoul’s tradition ministry stated all scouts got picture playing cards of BTS as a present, supplied without cost by the septet’s company, HYBE. The picture playing cards have been stated to have a complete retail worth of 800 million received ($600,000), in line with native media.
‘Totalitarian thought’
But at the same time as the federal government throws thousands and thousands of {dollars} in emergency funding into fixing an occasion that has been a public relations catastrophe, criticism — from Ok-pop followers to public sector staff — is mounting over Seoul’s strategy.
A preferred TV music program, set to characteristic some acts now performing on the jamboree, was abruptly cancelled for undisclosed causes.
And lawmaker Sung Il-jong confronted backlash from Ok-pop followers after saying the military ought to let megastars BTS — on hiatus whereas two members serve their obligatory navy phrases — reunite and carry out.
Ok-pop columnist Isak Choi stated on the social media platform X that the plan betrayed “a terrible totalitarian idea that the state owns K-pop”.
The Yonhap News Agency reported that round 1,000 staff at public establishments — such because the Korea Development Bank and the Korea Electric Power Corporation — had been “mobilised” to assist out with the live performance.
“Although the words used are ‘request for cooperation’, it’s almost at the level of forced conscription during wartime,” the Korean Financial Industry Union stated in an offended response.
The venue can be proving controversial, as its wildly costly “hybrid grass”, excellent for sporting occasions, might be broken by the live performance stage.
“Idol fans are shedding tears as their favourites are being pulled out at the last minute. Football fans are also shedding tears as the expensive grass in the stadium is getting destroyed,” one disgruntled particular person wrote on X in Korean.
“Who exactly benefits from this Jamboree concert?” — Agence France-Presse
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
