The musical "Life of Pi," which drew attention for actor Park Jeongmin's appearance, sparked controversy when the performance was canceled five minutes before opening on the day of the show. Although an additional performance featuring Park Jeongmin was added, the belated measure continues to leave disappointment.
On the evening of the 10th, the musical "Life of Pi" abruptly canceled the performance that had been scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. with only five minutes remaining. The reason given was "technical malfunction," and the production company informed the audience who arrived at the venue that day that they would receive a 110% refund.
However, criticism that "the response was too late" has continued to flood in. "Life of Pi" is, fundamentally, a licensed musical rather than an original work. Moreover, it had already opened on Nov. 29 last year and had been meeting audiences for nearly three months. Even though there should have been ample time for practice and rehearsal, canceling the show with only five minutes remaining before the start makes it difficult to accept.
In relation to this, "Life of Pi" issued an official statement on the 11th. The production company said, "We sincerely apologize to the audience who visited the venue for the Feb. 10 performance for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation," adding, "Before every performance, each part of the stage is inspected and rehearsed. During the final check of the Feb. 10 performance yesterday, a lighting equipment error was detected, and despite continuous recovery work, an unexplained malfunction occurred. Because it was a technical error in lighting equipment that affected movement paths, we decided to cancel the performance with safety as our top priority."
They also apologized for the delay in announcing the cancellation, saying, "We apologize for the delayed announcement regarding the cancellation due to equipment problems that occurred close to the performance time, which delayed audience entry and the timing of cancellation notices." They added, "From yesterday, Feb. 10, through the morning of the 11th, after technical inspections and tests, we inform you that the lighting equipment has been normalized. The entire production deeply feels its responsibility and will provide information on refunds and rescheduled performances due to the cancellation."
According to the statement, the performance canceled on the 10th was the show in which actor Park Jeongmin was scheduled to appear, and it will be replayed on the 16th at 7:30 p.m. Existing ticket holders from the canceled performance who wish to attend the additional performance will be given priority seats identical to their original bookings, and they will receive a partial refund of 10% of the ticket price. Conversely, audience members who do not attend the replay will be refunded 110% of the ticket purchase amount.
However, fans' expectations for that performance were considerable, as it had sold out early because of Park Jeongmin's appearance. Moreover, because the 16th is the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, critics argue that the choice for existing audience members is limited, calling the measure a stopgap.
"Life of Pi" is a musical based on the world-renowned bestseller the novel "Life of Pi." Park Jeongmin and musical actor Park Kanghyun are double-cast as the protagonist Pi, attracting attention.
[Photo] Provided by S&Co.
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