K-pop stars send messages of support after quake hits Japan

Winter of girl group aespa [NEWS1]

K-pop stars have been extending their heartfelt condolences after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Japan on New Year's Day.

Girl group aespa's Winter canceled her scheduled livestream on Monday, which was her birthday, and said on social media the same day, "I heard a major earthquake hit Japan while I was preparing for the scheduled live show."

"I hope everyone is safe," she added. "I'll keep my promise to do a live stream, though it is not today."

Kim Chae-won of the now-disbanded girl group April also canceled her Monday TikTok live the same day.

"Please be safe for [if you] are in Japan," she said in an Instagram story.

Riize's Shotaro also said in a Weverse post, "I hope everyone in Japan, including our Japanese fans, are staying safe, and I pray that they continue to do so."

TVXQ's Max Changmin, in reply to a fan's post informing about the earthquake, said, "I hope there are no big casualties."

However, a K-pop concert, titled "K-Pop Masterz×KROSS vol.3," scheduled in Nagoya, Japan, took place as planned on Tuesday.

The concert was to feature aespa, Enhypen and actor Park Seo-jun, along with others.

The second part of the show is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

The concert's organizers said in a notice posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday that they decided not to postpone or cancel the event "after careful consideration."

Nagoya, where the concert took place, is only 250 kilometers (155.3 miles) away from where the earthquake hit, Ishikawa Prefecture.

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Ishikawa Prefecture on the coast of western Japan on Monday afternoon. Over 90 aftershocks with over 1 magnitude have been detected as of Tuesday morning, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

To find out more about K-pop Artists, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]