The concert of singer Lee Seung-hwan, which was canceled in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, will be held in Gwangju in May, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising.
According to Gwangju City on the 5th, a concert by Lee Seung-hwan is scheduled to be held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju on May 3 in the transfer of the May 18 anniversary. Lee Seung-hwan applied for the venue, and the performance date was set according to the schedule.
The performance venue is the multipurpose hall of the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center, which has a seating capacity of 3,000. The city has been pursuing venue rentals, including the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center and the Performing Arts Center. Additionally, a commemorative performance for Gwangju Citizens' Day (May 23) is also in progress after the May 18 anniversary.
Lee Seung-hwan was supposed to perform at the Gumi City Culture and Arts Center on December 25 last year, but Gumi City canceled the venue rental, citing citizens' safety and political agitation, which caused controversy. Upon hearing this news, Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jeong proposed hosting the concert in Gwangju, to which Lee Seung-hwan responded, saying, "I look forward to performing in the democratic holy land, Gwangju."
Gwangju City has been working with Lee Seung-hwan's team to promote the concert while supporting the venue rental. A Gwangju City official said, "Lee Seung-hwan applied for the venue and promoted the concert, and Gwangju City merely rented it, so it is not related to the event," but added, "Since it is a concert held in Gwangju, a city of artistic fragrance and democracy, it seems to have more significance."