Singer Rain to record Netflix show at Blue House even as future remains undecided

One of the new government’s core commitments underscored was to “return Cheong Wa Dae to its citizens” promptly, but a month into its term, roles are yet to be defined of the former presidential office’s current and future usage.

In the meantime, another outdoor event is expected to be held at Cheong Wa Dae, following the KBS’ “Open Concert” on May 22, this time, an hourlong solo performance stage with Neflix.

Singer Rain will hold a performance for Neflix’s music-entertainment show at the Cheong Wa Dae grounds, starting 7 p.m. on June 17, according to a post on the singer’s Instagram, Thursday.

Rain’s performance had been discussed since March by the presidential transition committee, according to a Cultural Heritage Administration official.

“Since Netflix has a global impact and popular entertainment content, the transition committee thought that it would be a good event to host in line with the project to open Cheong Wa Dae to the public, at the time,” the official told The Korea Herald.

Up to 1,000 free tickets are open for online reservation on a first-come first-serve basis, through a Naver link on Rain’s post.

The performance invites the audience to dance together with Rain as part of the show, the terms and conditions read on the Naver site.

The guideline states that visitors must not leak any performance content to the public, including photos, audio and video recordings. There is no limit on the number of tickets that one person may reserve.

The date for the release of the program on Netflix has not been set, a Netflix official told The Korea Herald.

The current government guideline requires mask-wearing for people attending outdoor rallies or performances of 50 or more people. Although Rain has asked the audiences to wear a black outfit and black sunglasses to attend the performance, there was no mention of masks being required.

Cheong Wa Dae’s main garden was rented out at no cost for the KBS and Netflix concerts, according to the CHA official.

The official added that future events at Cheong Wa Dae’s outdoor areas will not be charged any rental fees, at least for now.

Meanwhile, a seminar on the utilization of Cheong Wa Dae was held at the National Assembly on May 20, and experts and scholars have put forward a mix of ideas for the ground’s future use.

Some of the ideas shared were to use the Blue House as an education space, turning it into a national museum or library, using the space for outdoor festivals, a modern art gallery with pieces in Cheong Wa Dae’s collection and turning it into a K-pop concert hall aimed at attracting foreign visitors.

Other important issues that are under discussion are whether to restore artifacts from the Joseon era (1392-1910) when it functioned as part of Gyeongbokgung’s rear garden. However, it remains unclear as to what extent such a restoration should be carried out as there are risks of damage to the buildings and elements of the former presidential office that are part of contemporary history.

Starting Monday, the number of daily visitors will be expanded by an additional 10,000 to allow a total of 49,000 people, the CHA’s special operation team announced.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)