DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Incheon council member to audit Massive Attack performance, sparking censorship debate

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • An 인천 city council member announced an administrative audit into the performance of British band Massive Attack at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival.
  • The band performed a cover of Seo Taiji and Boys' 'Come Back Home' and displayed videos related to democratic movements and opposition to the Israeli invasion of Palestine.
  • Critics argue the audit is an extension of censorship, while the council member cited concerns over the political nature of the performance and its funding by city entities.

A political controversy has erupted in South Korea over a performance by the British band Massive Attack at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Lee Beom-seok, a city council member from the People Power Party, announced he would conduct an administrative audit into the festival, specifically targeting Massive Attack's performance.

I will question the relevant content during the administrative audit.

— Lee Beom-seokIncheon city council member Lee Beom-seok's social media post announcing his intention to audit the festival.

The band performed a cover of Seo Taiji and Boys' "Come Back Home" on July 1, incorporating videos of democratic uprisings, including the Gwangju Uprising, and images opposing Israel's actions in Palestine. Lee questioned whether the festival, supported by the city, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization, and KB Kookmin Card, was endorsing politically charged events.

Are the city of Incheon, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization, and KB Kookmin Card supporting events with political colors?

— Lee Beom-seokIncheon city council member Lee Beom-seok questioning the funding of the festival.

Massive Attack had previously shared similar visuals and commentary on their social media, framing the cover as an act of solidarity with Seo Taiji and Boys, who they noted resisted state censorship. Lee, however, expressed concern that the videos, particularly one suggesting U.S. support for the Gwangju massacre, were too politically sophisticated for a foreign band to spontaneously produce.

We see this cover as an act of continuity, resurrection, and solidarity with Seo Taiji Company.

— Massive AttackMassive Attack's social media post explaining their cover of 'Come Back Home'.

Critics have decried Lee's move as a form of pre-censorship. One netizen argued that while disagreeing with a message is one thing, using budget allocations to "punish" it is another, potentially leading to all publicly funded performances being restricted to agreeable messages. While past festivals have seen controversies, such as a 2019 incident involving a Japanese musician's performance, an administrative audit targeting a musician's specific act is reportedly uncommon.

The work of Seo Taiji and Boys, pioneers of K-pop, resisted state censorship while creating a global genre.

— Massive AttackMassive Attack's social media post explaining their cover of 'Come Back Home'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog