Artists, scouts, police ready for Jamboree K-pop concert

Social Affairs

Published: 11 Aug. 2023, 14:24 Updated: 11 Aug. 2023, 17:52

Artists, scouts, police ready for Jamboree K-pop concert

Staff prepare the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Friday afternoon for the "K-pop Super Live" concert set to take place at 7 p.m. on Friday in western Seoul. [YONHAP]

Police officers patrolled the grounds with armored cars parked in the corner of the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Friday at 1 p.m., the loud music of The Boyz's latest track filling a damp and tense sports stadium readying itself to receive 40,000 scout members for tonight's upcoming K-pop concert.

Western Seoul's sports venue was filled with staff members hurrying up and down the halls as some 600 police officers and 200 firefighters got prepared for the "K-pop Super Live" concert and the closing ceremony of the 25th World Scout Jamboree set to begin at 5:30 p.m.

A few scout members were scattered around the shopping mall located within the stadium, waiting for the others to start arriving in buses starting at 2 p.m. The Jamboree attendees are scheduled to arrive through different routes at different times to minimize confusion within the stadium.

Armed police officers patrol the Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Friday afternoon ahead of the "K-pop Super Live" concert, set to begin at 7 p.m. [CHOI YEON-SOO]

Police officers patrol the Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Friday afternoon ahead of the "K-pop Super Live" concert, set to begin at 7 p.m. [CHOI YEON-SOO]

The music of participating artists filled the venue instead of people as artists were given short intervals to rehearse. Artists did not get to rehearse on Thursday due to the rain.

"We are keeping a close eye on personnel control, how the command center is being run, emergency plans and more," Culture Ministry spokesperson, Kang Jung-won, said.

"We aim to minimize the citizens' inconveniences as we limit the roads nearby the stadium due to the large number of people that will be gathering in the scene today."

The lineup of 19 K-pop acts set to perform at tonight's "K-pop Super Live" concert includes IVE, NewJeans, NCT Dream, ITZY, Mamamoo, The Boyz, Shownu & Hyungwon, fromis_9, ZeroBaseOne, P1Harmony, KARD, The New Six, ATBO, xikers, Holybang and Libelante, as well as singers Kang Daniel, Kwon Eun-bi and Jo Yuri.

Actor Gong Myoung, ITZY's Yuna and NewJeans's Hyein will be the event's hosts.

Attendees will be given a gift bag prepared by the Culture Ministry, HYBE and Kakao Entertainment, containing light sticks, Kakao Friends merchandise and BTS photocards.

Buses transporting the World Scout Jamboree participants arrive at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Friday ahead of the "K-pop Super Live" concert that is set to start at 7 p.m. [NEWS1]

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]