Singer Lee Seung-hwan, who had a conflict with the city of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, over the cancellation of a performance venue, filed a constitutional complaint against the mayor of Gumi.
According to the entertainment industry on the 6th, Lee Seung-hwan stated on his social media platform that he seeks a ruling from the Constitutional Court regarding the violations of his freedom of conscience, artistic freedom, and freedom of expression by the mayor of Gumi, adding, "Dream Factory (Lee Seung-hwan's agency) will go all the way."
Earlier, on Dec. 25 last year, Lee Seung-hwan was scheduled to hold a performance to celebrate his 35th anniversary at the Gumi Cultural Arts Center, but the performance could not take place as Gumi City canceled the venue rental.
At the time, Gumi City requested Lee Seung-hwan's side to sign a pledge stating that he would not engage in "political agitation and misunderstandings," and when Lee Seung-hwan did not accept this, Mayor Kim Jang-ho directly canceled the venue rental, citing "the safety of citizens and audiences."
Dream Factory, Lee Seung-hwan's agency, announced the cancellation of the performance last December, stating, "In December 2024, a musician was coerced into 'stepping on the cross' just before the performance, and since that was unjust, he refused, leading to the cancellation of the performance."
Last month, Lee Seung-hwan also filed a lawsuit seeking 250 million won in damages against Mayor Kim Jang-ho and the city of Gumi at the Seoul Central District Court.