A famous singer attended a free concert event and was unexpectedly caught in the fallout.
On the 8th, the JoongAng Ilbo reported that at a free concert held on the 30th of last month at a small theater in Seocho District, Seoul, the organizers drew the audience with the promise of a famous singer's free performance and then spent nearly two hours promoting a funeral service company.
The organizers have been holding free lectures and performances for adult men and women. According to the released lineup, during the month of May many famous singers were scheduled to appear, including singer Bada, Kim Wan Sun, Jo Jazz, Maktub, Lee Eun-mee, Jung Joon-il, Insooni, Tei, Min Kyung-hoon, Huh Gak and others.
But when they actually arrived at the venue, a funeral service company product explanation continued for about two hours before the performance, application forms were distributed and guidance on funeral service products was provided, and only then did the performance begin. Some audience members reportedly expressed dissatisfaction, saying they "were deceived."
As a result, the fallout even affected the singer who attended the concert, and they earned the unexpected stigma of "promoting a funeral service company." The agency told OSEN, "This performance is one the organizers have been holding for a long time, and appearances by well-known singers were scheduled," and added, "We were contacted through an agency and appeared to see fans up close."
On the organizers' SNS post recruiting applicants for the actual performance, it is pre-notified that "this performance includes promotional time for the sponsor (xx funeral service)." The agency also said, "They recruit the audience through SNS and then contact the selected people separately to provide related information," and explained, "Signing up for the product is not mandatory and only those who want to join do so. The claim that people were prevented from going to the restroom as if detained is not true."
Nonetheless, they feel it is unfair to be misunderstood as if the funeral service company was promoted at the singer's solo concert. Internet users who saw this also mostly reacted that they could not understand the controversy, saying, "Didn't people already know that before going?", "That's why it's a free concert; nothing in this world is free," and "The notice clearly states it was a funeral service-sponsored performance and that there would be a product briefing before the show, so didn't the person even read the notice?"
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS
[OSEN]