[Official] KBS unilaterally cancels ”Music Bank in Madrid”, a shocking and incomprehensible incident

KBS clarified the official position of the Real Madrid side in relation to the cancellation of ‘Music Bank’.

On the 20th September, KBS announced that Real Madrid C.F. and the Bernabeu "will cancel all music performances scheduled to take place at the Bernabeu Stadium in Santiago until March 2025 due to the persistent noise problem raised by the surrounding residents".

They continued "Until the publication of these articles through the local media, Real Madrid has informed the local Madrid organisers KANGOORU, S.L., KOREAN POWER and A.I.E. and the Korean organiser KBS Music Bank about the official cancellation of Music Bank's Bernabeu concert on 12 October 2024." They stressed that "this is a very shocking and incomprehensible incident", as they "did not make an official request or discuss the cancellation of the performance in advance."　

KBS added "And even at this moment, on the 19th September, six days after Real Madrid first announced its decision to cancel Music Bank's Bernabeu performance, Real Madrid is still waiting with bated breath for KANGOORU, S.L. and KBS Music Bank, as well as Music Bank's Bernabeu performance. Real Madrid has not offered any official explanation or apology to the tens of thousands of K-pop fans waiting with bated breath for the KANGOORU, S.L. and KBS Music Bank, as well as the Music Bank's Bernabeu concert. "This is an even more unfair measure," he pointed out, adding, “Currently, the contents related to the 'unilateral cancellation’ of Music Bank's performance at the Bernabeu are spreading rapidly not only on the SNS of K-pop fans in Madrid but also on the SNS of K-pop fans around the world. The disappointment and frustration of the 30,300 K-pop fans from 87 countries who purchased tickets for the ‘Music Bank in Madrid’ concert on the12th has reached an extreme level. Currently, fans' social networking sites are flooded with petitions to Real Madrid and the event organisers explaining the cancellation of the show and requesting that the show be rescheduled. The world's largest internet petition/publication site www.change.org explained that ‘as of the18th September, more than 11,000 fans have signed a petition titled “2024 Music Bank's performance at the Bernabeu should be allowed to take place again’.

He added "K-pop artists who were scheduled to perform at the Bernabeu concert have continued to contact us for confirmation regarding the article about the cancellation of the concert. If the Bernabeu performance is suspended, the disappointment of the eight teams of K-pop artists who had worked so hard to prepare for the performance to meet their Spanish fans after accepting a nearly 20-hour journey from South Korea to Madrid will be considerable", and added, "Regarding the various situations up to now, Music Bank's production team has been working with Real Madrid and the Bernabeu to prepare for the Bernabeu performance, Real Madrid and the Bernabeu as follows."

First, KBS stated that "the Music Bank production team, together with KangoRu and S.L., expresses its deep regret at Real Madrid's unilateral decision to cancel the concert and cannot accept the team's arbitrary decision, which was made unfairly without any prior consultation, demanding a formal explanation and apology from Real Madrid. We demand Real Madrid to give a formal explanation and apology to the K-Pop artists who have also promised to do so."

Second, "we strictly demand that Real Madrid fulfil its intentional and financial responsibility for the damage caused to K-pop fans and K-pop artists who invested not short time and money to see the performance at the Bernabeu, in cancelling the performance’. Real Madrid must also take responsibility for the damage to the brand image of the ‘Music Bank World Tour’, which was created with the love and efforts of K-pop fans around the world for the past 15 years, together with the responsibility for the damage to the brand image of the ‘Music Bank World Tour’‘, and “Finally, we ask for the resumption of the ”Music Bank in Madrid’ performance on the 12th October 2024. Finally, we strongly request once again that they make an effort together for the resumption of the ‘Music Bank in Madrid’ performance on the 12th October, 2024. The Music Bank production team is capable and willing to make every effort not to disappoint the K-pop fans waiting for the performance at the Bernabeu by adjusting (or shortening) the performance time and minimising the noise in the surrounding area. The Music Bank production team is willing to discuss any requests from the Bernabeu performance venue with the Madrid authorities, and will work with the local organisers and tens of thousands of K-pop fans to set up measures to prevent any complaints from the residents around the performance venue."

He concluded, "I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks and consolation to the local fans in Madrid and Spain who are waiting for the “Music Bank in Madrid” performance on the 12th October, as well as K-pop fans from 87 countries, and I hope that the final talks with Real Madrid will go well and the dream stage of K-pop fans will be realised. We hope that the final talks with Real Madrid will be successful and that the dream stage for K-pop fans will be realised."