Lee Seung-hwan responded after Gwangju City Mayor Kang Gi-jung proposed hosting a concert in Gwangju when Gumi City, North Gyeongsang Province, canceled the singer's concert venue reservation.
Mayor Kang mentioned the concert cancellation on Facebook on the 24th, stating, "Then let's do it in Gwangju. We invite singer Lee Seung-hwan to Gwangju."
Mayor Kang said, "How absurd and baseless must martial law have been for youths supporting K-pop to take to the streets with light sticks," adding, "The energy that keeps us from getting tired is K-pop."
In response, Lee Seung-hwan immediately responded to the invitation by commenting, "Thank you. I look forward to performing in Gwangju, the holy land of democratization."
Lee noted, "As I don't have a manager, the head of our collaborative partner, the sound company, might contact you," raising expectations.
Gwangju City received a call from the sound company in the afternoon and decided to discuss matters related to the concert.
Earlier, Gumi City canceled the reservation for Lee Seung-hwan's 35th anniversary concert, originally scheduled for the 25th at the Gumi City Culture and Arts Center, citing concerns over citizen safety and refusal to sign a pledge against political agitation.
Lee Seung-hwan issued a statement on his Facebook account, stating, "Gumi City made an unreasonable demand for a pledge. My concert has never been a political event, so there have never been venue issues," hinting at legal action.