There has been controversy surrounding IU’s concerts at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The issue arose after national soccer team captain Son Heung Min commented on the poor condition of the grass.
His remarks have led to a wave of complaints regarding the impact of K-pop concerts on the stadium’s playing surface.
Despite the backlash from soccer fans, IU proceeded to hold encore concerts, THE WINNING, on September 21-22.
There were rumors that the Love Wins All singer purchased new grass to respond to the criticism and make sure there was no damage to the field.
On September 23, OSEN revealed that rumors surrounding IU’s purchase of new grass for the Seoul World Cup Stadium are unfounded.
In accordance with the stadium’s management manual, her team followed the stadium’s rules to avoid damaging the lawn.
The rental agreement states that event organizers are responsible for adhering to the manual and may be held liable for damages resulting from non-compliance.
While she did not buy new grass for the stadium, she will take financial responsibility if their concert damages the lawn.
Previously, a petition on the e-People website, posted on September 11 by a self-proclaimed Son Heung Min fan, demanded the cancellation of IU’s September 21-22 concert at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The petitioner argues that the sold-out event, with 100,000 attendees, will harm the stadium’s grass, potentially impacting South Korea’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
In response, EDAM Entertainment assured fans that they closely followed the advanced ground usage manual and consulted with relevant officials.
Before the concert, fans received a text message requesting ground seat attendees to avoid wearing high heels or shoes that may get stuck in grass protection materials.
To prevent damage, IU’s team covered ground seats with specialized grass protection materials with ventilation and watering holes. Rumors of purchasing new grass were entirely unfounded.