With the sudden declaration of martial law in South Korea, the announcement gained international coverage and affected the Korean music industry. As a result, entertainment companies have been asked to suspend their artists’ activities and participation in events.

According to Korean news outlet TenAsia on December 3, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s sudden declaration of martial law in the country has led to the cancellation of numerous music events and festivals.

An entertainment industry insider shared that he is unsure whether year-end events will be held due to the severity of the situation.

The insider added: “If events take place while martial law is in effect, we don’t know what kind of repercussions we will face.”

The outlet also added that these cancellations were inevitable.

He also shared that the entertainment industries have no blueprint on how to respond to such an event, as the previous martial law was declared in the 1980s.

An entertainment representative also shared, “We are monitoring the situation in real time” and made it clear that the emergency is serious.

The emergency declaration of martial law was a response to protect South Korea’s democratic order from pro-North Korean forces. However, six hours after the statement, the president lifted martial law following intense protests and public reactions, including massive calls for his resignation.

On social media ahead of the uprising, K-pop fans expressed their concern for the safety of everyone in South Korea.