Singer Harim stated that a national agency event invite was canceled, leading to controversy, while the Ministry of Unification issued a response.
Harim revealed on his social media on the 13th, "At this point, when the scars of martial law have not fully healed, I received sudden notice of cancellation for the national agency event that is approaching in a few days," adding, "The reason is that I sang at the plaza last year. It seems that the situation, which subsequently led to a noisy interview, has made someone uncomfortable."
He noted, "Despite the low guarantee for a North-South youth-related event, I decided to participate, and a poster had already been produced. Making such a decision in this way could inevitably cause misunderstandings like another blacklist, and I wonder if those above are aware of this."
The next day, on the 14th, Harim issued another statement. He said, "In fact, similar incidents have happened several times in the past. I didn't raise issues each time, but I have come to realize that quietly passing over these matters can silence us all eventually."
He continued, "Music is just music. However, that 'just' music can become everything for someone in their youth. I document this commotion with a hope that none of my friends, for whom that music is everything, will get swept away by political issues like leaves. I sincerely hope this incident allows music to return to a safer place."
According to the music industry, the event that Harim was invited to is reported to be the Ministry of Unification's "North-South Youth Talk Concert" scheduled for the 28th.
In relation to this, a Ministry of Unification official explained on the 14th, "The working-level staff discovered during the planning stage that the performer was one of the main performers at the presidential ousting rally last year. Concerned that the timing of the event, coinciding with the election period, could lead to unnecessary political misunderstandings, we halted the invitation. Neither a policy of exclusion nor directives have been issued at the departmental level."
Meanwhile, Harim had taken the stage at a rally to demand the ousting of former President Yoon Suk-yeol in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, last December.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]