IU denies buying new turf for Sangam concert, says charges apply for damage

It has been confirmed that rumors about IU purchasing new turf to prevent damage at Sangam Stadium are untrue.

According to OSEN’s report on the 23rd, while IU’s team made efforts to minimize turf damage during her concert at the Sangam World Cup Stadium, they did not buy new turf.

It was revealed that when artists like IU rent the Seoul Sangam World Cup Stadium, they must follow the stadium management’s manual to minimize turf damage. However, if the manual is not followed and the turf is damaged, the stadium administration holds the artist responsible and may charge them for the repair.

This rule applied to IU as well. If her concert had damaged the stadium’s turf, she would be held accountable for the costs, but her agency did not purchase new turf.

On the 21st and 22nd, IU held her solo concert '2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT ENCORE: THE WINNING' at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu.

Before the event, concerns had been raised about potential damage to the turf following the concert. The Sangam World Cup Stadium is not designed primarily as a concert venue, but rather as an active football stadium, leading to increased concerns among football fans about turf protection.

Football star Son Heung Min also recently expressed dissatisfaction with the turf quality at Sangam, and following the controversy, the city of Seoul announced that from next year, it would only allow concerts and other cultural events on the condition that “ground seats” are not sold, in order to protect the turf.

EDAM Entertainment, IU’s agency, stated, “We strictly followed the ground-use manual provided in advance to protect the turf, and we continuously coordinated with various stakeholders to ensure the venue was kept in optimal condition.”

In a message sent to fans before the concert, they also requested that “For those seated on the ground, please refrain from wearing shoes that could penetrate the turf protectors, such as high heels or shoes with heels,” to help protect the turf at the stadium.

During the concert, durable turf protectors with holes for ventilation and water drainage were securely installed on the ground seating area. Despite rumors that IU had purchased new turf to replace any damaged sections, it was confirmed that this was not the case.

SEE ALSO: IU makes history as the first female singer to hold solo concert at Korea's largest stadium

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