Woodstock music festival canceled after being postponed

[SGC ENTERTAINMENT]

Woodstock Music and Art Fair 2023, Korea's edition of the Woodstock music festival, has been canceled after the organizers pushed the dates from July to October.

"Woodstock has been canceled due to circumstances concerning the organizer," the festival organizer SGC Entertainment wrote on the event's official website Monday. "We deeply apologize to everyone who has been waiting for Woodstock."

The news comes two months after the organizers announced the October dates "to ensure a safe event operation and to work on the event's completion," according to SGC Entertainment. The organizer said at the time: "The festival is being postponed, not canceled."

Artists Jeon In-kwon, Insooni, Kim Wan-sun, Ryeowook of Super Junior, rapper Paloalto, rock band Boohwal and more were scheduled to perform.

It's the second time a Woodstock festival in Korea has been called off after a previous attempt to hold the event failed in 2010.

This year's festival had received significant backlash since it was announced in January. Fans criticized the decision to reuse the name Woodstock — though the 1969 Woodstock festival is still regarded as one of the most well-known rock festivals of all time, follow-ups in 1994, 1999 and 2009 saw mediocre success and controversies.

Fans were also skeptical of the festival being held in Korea, saying the original venue near the Hantan River in Pocheon lacked adequate infrastructure. Fans also criticized the festival's artist lineup for being unclear and high ticket prices, which were originally priced at 400,000 won ($300) for a three-day pass.

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