KBS Production 2 Division’s Entertainment Center has responded to netizens protest over KBS Gayo Daechukje being held in Japan later this year.
On the 19th, they responded to a viewer petition on the bulletin board titled ‘Opposition to KBS Gayo Daejeon in Japan’. They stated, “We appreciate the viewers’ deep interest and concerns. KBS has contributed to the global spread of K-pop Hallyu through ‘Music Bank’ and ‘Music Bank World Tour’, introducing Hallyu stars. K-pop has become music enjoyed by fans worldwide. Due to the easing of overseas K-pop performances, there has been an explosive increase in requests from global fans who want to see Korean singers in person.”
They then added, “We are currently considering expanding the ‘Gayo Daejeon’ to a ‘Music Bank World Tour – Global Festival’ aimed at audiences worldwide. Through this, we can showcase the excellence and influence of our culture to the world.”
Earlier, it was reported that the ‘2023 KBS Gayo Daejeon’ is scheduled to take place on December 9th at Saitama Prefecture’s Tokorozawa City, at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Upon hearing this news, domestic netizens expressed their dissatisfaction, with reactions such as “Why is Gayo Daejeon being held in Japan when it’s KBS? Not Mnet or tvN,” and “What’s the reason for holding it in Japan?”
In particular, one netizen strongly voiced their opinion, saying, “Isn’t KBS a public broadcasting company? I don’t understand why they would proceed with a year-end stage in Japan. They should withdraw it immediately.”
The KBS ‘Gayo Daejeon,’ along with MBC’s ‘Gayo Daejejeon’ and SBS’s ‘Gayo Daejeon,’ is an annual year-end music festival in South Korea where domestic singers conclude the year with performances.
While KBS has stated that they will turn the ‘Gayo Daejeon’ into a stage for audiences worldwide, there has been no explanation as to ‘why’ the event is being held in Japan.
Source: (A)
