IU 'swallowed two bitter fruits' because of a player's words, 100,000 fans 'went crazy'?

A petition has been filed to cancel the upcoming IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT ENCORE: THE WINNING concert at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

The petitioner called for the concert to be canceled to prioritize stadium maintenance for the upcoming World Cup qualifying match between South Korea and Iraq on October 15.

The petition was launched after player Song Heung-min criticized the pitch at the Seoul World Cup Stadium following South Korea's match against Palestine on September 5. The national team captain commented that although the team had many skilled players, the condition of the pitch made it difficult for them to control the ball or dribble. He also called for improvements to the pitch for home matches.

In the context of these comments, the petitioner cited that the agencies responsible for maintaining the World Cup Stadium stated on September 9 that h.ot weather and a lack of staff were the reasons for the stadium's deterioration. Since IU's concert would attract a large crowd, the stadium would certainly deteriorate further. Therefore, they requested that the event be canceled.

The petitioner also emphasized that Article 5-3 (Restriction on Permission to Use) of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Ordinance on the Installation and Operation of Sports Facilities stipulates that the city is allowed to refuse or cancel the use of sports facilities if it is deemed necessary for facility management or other important reasons.

Growing dissatisfaction among the national team with the Seoul World Cup stadium has reportedly prompted the Football Association to consider moving its scheduled match against Iraq to another stadium.

Meanwhile, IU will hold two consecutive concerts at the stadium on September 21 and 22. The total number of tickets for the event is about 100,000, all of which were sold out quickly after the date was announced. IU will become the first female K-pop artist to perform a concert at the Seoul World Cup, as she did in 2022 at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.

IU's management company, EDAM Entertainment, announced on the 16th, "IU will hold the concert '2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT ENCORE: THE WINNING' at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on September 21 and 22. Tickets for the event were sold out through pre-orders for UAENA fanclub members on the 12th and went on public sale on the 14th."

This encore concert is the "final chapter of the journey towards victory," concluding IU's five-month world tour from Seoul in March to Los Angeles on August 2, through 18 cities where she had the opportunity to meet and interact closely with fans.

Notably, when IU announced that she would be holding the finale of her tour at the Seoul World Cup Stadium - a venue famous for its huge seating capacity, the atmosphere was already buzzing even before tickets went on sale. Thanks to that, IU wrote a new page in history by attracting over 100,000 spectators over two days of performances, becoming the first female artist to achieve this feat.

According to the management company, due to the large number of spectators expected to gather on the day of the concert, the stadium's turf maintenance work is being carried out meticulously. They strictly follow the guidelines for using the turf area and conduct training for all staff in advance on the regulations to be followed as well as the code of conduct.

Additionally, after the show on Sunday, immediate clean-up will be carried out, and turf protectors with ventilation and water supply will be installed to maintain the best condition of the stadium. They are also working closely with the relevant parties to ensure everything goes smoothly.

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