In the K-pop scene today, Big Bang is on top. With hits like “Bang Bang Bang” and “We Like 2 Party” making their mark – the former making it on iTunes Top 100 and the latter being banned by KBS – it is expected they’ll attain some haters. One of those haters is fellow K-pop group Bangtan Boys, and they’ve been at each other’s throats for the past three months. Bangtan Boys’ member “V” was criticized for being inconsiderate of Big Bang on M! Countdown, while Big Bang have argued the authenticity of Bangtan Boys’ sales. And just to be frank, the rivalry is nowhere near ending soon.
Despite such bickering, both groups (or any K-pop group for that matter) have to do what it takes to remain prevalent in the ever-so-changing K-pop music scene. This includes concerts and fan get-together events. Unfortunately for Bangtan Boys, they’ll have to cancel their second anniversary fan meeting, thanks to the MERS outbreak.
According to Naver through Soompi , the Bangtan Boys’ second anniversary fan meeting was announced by Big Hit Entertainment to take place on June 13. Unfortunately, they made a recent announcement on June 9 that the anticipated event had to be cancelled due to the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) scare .
“As we consider fans’ health and safety to be the utmost priority, we have made the decision [to cancel the event].”
Big Hit Entertainment explained their intention for the cancellation is to prevent the possible spread of MERS. It is possible they might reschedule the event for a later date, but no news has been reported as of now. As for the cancelled event itself, it was supposed to highlight the end of Bangtan Boys’ two-week “BTS Festa.”
Please take note that the Bangtan Boys’ cancellation isn’t isolated. The Korean entertainment industry in general has responded to the MERS outbreak by cancelling and/or postponing public events. This includes press conferences, photo shoots, and of course fan meetings.
[Images via Big Hit Entertainment]