Organizers postpone Woodstock music festival to October

Woodstock Music and Art Fair 2023 rock festival set to take place in July will be postponed to October, the concert organizers said Friday. [SGC ENTERTAINMENT]

Woodstock Music and Art Fair 2023 rock festival, which was scheduled to premiere in Korea this month, will be postponed to October, the concert organizers said Friday.

The Korean edition of the Woodstock festival was originally announced to take place around the Multipurpose Square near the Hantan River in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on July 28, 29 and 30. It was going to be the Woodstock festival's first event held outside of the United States.

"The Woodstock festival has been postponed to Oct. 7 to 9 to ensure a safe event operation and to work on the event's completion," the organizers said. "The festival is being postponed, not canceled."

Woodstock festival saw an exciting lineup of artists, ranging from 1980s Japanese heavy metal legend Loudness to Korean veteran artists Insooni, Boohwal, Kim Wan-sun, Jeon In-kwon, K-pop idols Sunmi, Taeyang, Xdinary Heroes and many others.

While the organizers announced in early July that overseas artists Akon, New Hope Club, frederic and others will also join the festival, fans noted that those artists did not update their Woodstock schedule on their websites, doubting their participation.

The festival has seen many turmoils since its announcement back in January. Starting from reusing the name Woodstock — which, while the 1969 Woodstock festival is still regarded as one of the most well-known rock festivals of all time, saw mediocre success and controversies in follow-up festivals in 1994, 1999 and 2009.

Fans have been skeptical of the festival being held in Korea, criticizing its venue, unclear lineup announcements and high ticket prices, with a three-day ticket going at 400,000 won ($310).

Following the criticisms regarding the ticket prices, the organizers lowered all ticket prices this month to 150,000 won for a three-day ticket.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]