Music festival delayed due to ferry disaster

Greenplugged Seoul 2014, an annual outdoor music festival originally scheduled for early May, has officially been postponed, as the nation continues to grieve for more than 240 people still missing from the Sewol ferry sinking.

GPS announced on Friday that it has pushed back the event from May 3-4 to May 31-June 1. The venue, Seoul Nanji Hangang Park, will be unchanged.

“A tragic event occurred just about two weeks ahead of the festival. We have been following the event closely with much sadness and anguish,” said GPS in a press release.

“Everyone in Korea eagerly prays for the missing passengers to be rescued alive, so we do not believe that now is the right time to celebrate or enjoy the spring. All issues aside, the foremost thing is to pray together as a nation.”

GPS also expressed sincere apologies for the festival’s sudden change of schedule.

“We sincerely apologize for not being able to carry out the event as scheduled. Although this sudden postponement will cause many problems for both organizers and attendees, we believe that such things do not matter in a time of national grief,” said festival organizers.

Given the circumstances, the festival will likely undertake slight shifts in its artist lineup and performance timetable. Though some changes are inevitable, most of the acts in the original lineup will remain unchanged, according to GPS.

GPS also said that it is currently working with ticket vendors to ensure that those who have already purchased tickets will not suffer any financial disadvantages due to the schedule change. The organizers will release more information on the matter in the coming days. For updates on ticket issues, visit www.greenplugged.com.

“We ask for your sympathy and understanding. Let us continue to pray together for all the precious lives,” said GPS.

Last Wednesday, the Sewol ferry carrying 476 passengers, most of them high school students, and crew sank off the coast of Jindo Island in South Jeolla Province. The accident left 56 dead and 246 unaccounted for as of 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Rescue operations are hampered by fast currents and low underwater visibility.

By Sohn Ji-young (jiyoung.sohn@heraldcorp.com)