First of all i want to state: ONEUS did a great job and delivered an amazing performance.
What made the evening horrific for the fans is solemnly the fault of the venue and event management.
The problems started in the morning after the GA and VIP queues were switched - but this was quickly resolved by the fans, who organized themselves well. There were now queues to the left and right of the entrance waiting to get in.
In my opinion, it could have been an easy entrance, but later, at the time of the VIP check-in, a fire lane was opened unannounced in the middle of the queue as the new entrance. Without any further communication, announcement etc. Fans stormed off, ignoring all queuing and lines.
This is where the problems of the entire evening started spiraling. Fans, some of whom had been queuing since the evening before or very early in the morning, were robbed of their chance to stand at barricade. Frustration and resentment spread, which led to discussions with security. However, they did not feel responsible for the chaos and repeatedly said: "Organizing 400 people is too much work“ - the fans had already organized themselves among themselves. The issue could have been solved with communication between Security and us but there was no will to do so from them.
Furthermore, some of the security staff didn't know what to do, as there seemed to be no communication between them. For this reason, the queue for the soundcheck was already very chaotic and emotional.
After that, however, things got really bad. VIP+ and VIP guests had to leave back out into the garden - it was no longer possible to queue properly as the crowds were pushing at three doors. Meanwhile, there was no response to warnings that it was dangerous, people could fall and be trampled. On the contrary, some of the security staff threatened with amusement "just watch what we have in store for you". Excuse me, but HOW can you treat the safety of so many - especially YOUNG - people like this? I am still speechless.
In addition, requests were simply shut down with the words "I don't want to deal with it, something bad could happen." Something bad did in fact happen. After all three doors were opened, again without warning, the crowd naturally stormed off. Some fans tripped over each other and injured themselves, some more, some less. Two left with broken limbs and head injuries and had to be transported to the hospital.
I am not only shocked by the selfishness of some fans, but also by the inability and unwillingness of the organizer to take responsibility and ensure a safe event.
GA entry was made it into the halls before the concert began very shortly. There were many crying fans in the crowds, others threw up, stressed by the chaos or had panic attacks.
I was also one of the people who had been queuing since the evening before, but kept my distance after it became clear that the organizers simply didn't care about us. We were able to convince some of those present to stay at the back as we could see how dangerous it could get. In the end, our group spent the concert in the back rows, busy comforting crying and frustrated fans and looking after their wellbeing.
Many people talked about what happened that evening - but once again, no one seems to care. Especially this response from the venue made my jaw drop. They basically said its not their business. This is not how you should ever reply to someone. As someone who is working in marketing herself i am in disbelief.
I am genuinely sorry for people who got injured and emotionally scarred during this event. I only wish them the best.
How did your evening go on this day?
Wishing you well.
x Mel
8 comments
This will be a long comment, sorry.
I’m not even sure who to blame more, the venue, securities, other staff, or /some/ fans themselves.
Asking VIP&VIP+ to go outside again after soundcheck was very weird. Nobody knew beforehand, no proper explanation audible for everyone was given, and nobody made sure that people didn’t push outside. Some other fans in a group chat were complaining how people didn’t get in line outside again. But many of us didn’t see any line at all, barely got out because some tried staying closest to the door, and some got pushed into different directions by securities.
For entering back in, again, no communication when and which door. Staff/Security had no mic/megaphone and didn’t seem to know anything themselves. No explanation for the delay, no warning before opening the doors, no warning that 2 different doors would open.
And then people shoving of course. Why would you push, shove, try to run when you can see the lack of a queue and that there’s tons of people before you. Security failed us but some fans are absolute selfish idiots who hurt others and should take a ton of responsibility for that. As if nobody knows the dangers, as if kpop fans didn’t hear about Itaewon last year and to what pushing in masses can lead. I am so so sorry for the injured people but I’m glad there wasn’t more nor worse.
@Tamina
I don’t see any misinformation spread but rather missing that security had moved the queues in the morning. To be fair it’s been so long and exhausting I wouldn’t be surprise if people have a lot of different memories considering how traumatic the whole situation was for some.
I also don’t blame people storming to the fire lane entrance – using their chance. I’m rather frustrated about the security not communicating with us, cause we could have resolved this with each other in my opinion. As we did with switching the queues.
To make one thing clear since a person on TikTok also spreaded this information wrong:
The queue was moved in the morning by the security and they told us we need to stand on the right side and queue up from the barricade right side of the entrance since the vip entrance will start there exactly where they moved us. It’s not that they said just go elsewhere and we were standing false. We were queuing exactly right where they told us to. So it was not our fault. Maybe they changed the entrance spontaneously or the security who moved us there had gotten wrong callings.
But that the entrance was held in an unannounced place when they earlier told us where it will be that was totally the fault of the organizers and not of the fans. That this issue causes chaos is absolutely clear.
Ok I also have to write my point of view. First of all yes the Organisation was terrible especially after the soundcheck. But I’m not really angry at the security, staff or the people who tried to organized everything. I’m more mad about the fans itself and I think most of the people forget this.
Weeks before the concert I joined two different WhatsApp Groups for information. One group was for all the second group for vip only. Both groups made me feel anxious before the concert so much. People there always told each other when they will arrive at the venue just to be one of the first persons there. One people wrote he/she wants to go at xy time in the night and then people felt anxious and panic and wrote they want to arrive earlier and and this continued every single time because they pushed themselves to be the first so much. The day before the concert a Twitter post came up saying a fannumbering will begin at 0am and this made to group even more anxious. This was probably also one of the reasons why some of them started queueing at 7pm the day before the concert.
Queueing 24 hours before the concert itself is the most dumbest think people can do. Another concert was held this day so it’s not a big surprise they where standing in the false line.
Being in the cold for so many hours trying to get a bit of sleep without food and water…no wonder they were exhausted and this made the situation even worse because you can get easier angry, pissed, mad and frustrated. Your body is exhausted and your brain doesn’t function the way it should. No wonder this whole situation ended up in a complete mess with people screaming, crying and fighting against each other. They also run into the venue like there is no tomorrow just to be at the first line.
Like I said in the beginning. I’m totally agree with people saying this could have been going one better if the Organisation was better.
But I’m extremely shocked about this stupid selfish behavior of these toxic fans! I think so much things could have been stopped these day if we would have been nicer calmer and less egoistic this day!!!
We queued for so long and were insanely exhausted already and the very unsure numbering situation caused so many people to have to stay at the venue forever getting even more exhausted.
As soon as we realized what was happening at that garden door we were in disbelief.
Everyone started pushing into that one small door, a lot of them screaming and crying.
I tried my very hardest to not have a panic attack and focus on not losing my friends in this mess. I lost all hope of having fun at a concert we waited so long.
And when we had to wait outside after Soundcheck we saw soooo many people in tshirts and skirts who left their jackets inside bc they didn’t know about having to leave. These people were FREEZING outside in November weather for over an hour.
I‘m honestly surprised not more people got injured during the pushing back inside but I‘m glad nothing even worse ended up happening. Everyone involved needs to take responsibility for the safety hazard they created and they should never get to organize any event again when this is how much they care about the safety of the people they’re responsible for.