Boiler Room Fest Halted in South Korea Amid Overcrowding
The Boiler Room Seoul festival was cut short over the weekend amid concerns that overcapacity would lead to a concert crush.
The festival took place in Seoul and was set to take place on July 27 from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. at the Sfactory, featuring EDM Korean star Peggy Gou, alongside DJs Chae, DAMIE, Elkka, and Hadone. However, reports said the local fire department intervened around 1 a.m. as the lack of adequate crowd management led to safety concerns. Attendees posted videos online showing a crowded site with fans complaining of their inability to breathe. There were reportedly over 6,000 people on site for the 2,000-capacity venue.
다른 분 얼굴 나와 죄송하지만 수용 인원 몇 백 퍼센트 이상으로 티켓 판매한 보일러룸 서울 주최측 때문에 안에 계신분들 질식해서 경찰 119 출동하고 행사는 그대로 취소됨 여긴 그냥 아비규환임 사람들 아직도 나오는 중 pic.twitter.com/epnXmCOeIH
— pourquoi? (@3gn1ledx) July 27, 2024
The event was cancelled — wrapping up three hours ahead of its original scheduled time — and all attendees were told to leave. Festivalgoers shared their frustration of the early cancellation, especially because Gou was never able to take the stage.
“Before I could go on stage and perform, the event was called off due to host issues and safety concerns,” Gou said in a statement. “It breaks my heart and I’m so sad. I cannot believe this happened. I flew in from Japan without sleeping because I was really looking forward to this.”
The DJ went on to note that she has requested refunds be made to ticketholders and is in talks for another performance for those who attended, as well as those unable to enter the venue, telling fans to “please hang tight.”
She shared another statement on her Instagram story Monday, thanking everyone for their support.
“I am very sad that I couldn’t perform in Korea, which was the hometown show I was most looking forward to,” Gou said. “For the next performance, I will meet with the concert organizers who prioritize safety as soon as possible. I will share details about the next performance soon. Thank you.”
The news comes just two years after a crowd surge occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, killing over 150 people and injuring nearly 200 others. The tragedy marks the deadliest crowd crush in the country’s history. Concert crushes are not new to the industry, either; Travis Scott’s infamous Astroworld show in Houston left 10 people killed in 2019, sparking several lawsuits.
