5 worst K-pop stage accidents
K-pop stage accidents over the years have fortunately not been fatal, but some have come pretty close. Performances are an intricate part of the K-pop music industry and idols do their best to showcase the grandest performances they can curate. However, this also comes with a multitude of risks.
K-pop performances sometimes include risky dance moves or stunts that could, if done incorrectly, adversely hurt the artist.
Intense and grueling choreography can also lead to members hurting each other if they’re not syncronized during the practice or performance.
Sometimes, it isn't even the choreography or the artist that is to blame for the accidents. Stages built for performances can collapse if the foundation isn’t strong enough. Negligence can lead to major K-pop stage accidents that could put idols’ lives in harm’s way.
5 K-pop stage accidents that left the idols scarred
1) Taeyeon
A sub-group of Girls' Generation called TTS, consisting of members Taeyeon, Seohyun, and Tiffany, performed at the 2014 Seoul Music Awards.
When the stage blacked out after their performance, the group made preparations to leave, however, the lift built below the stage collapsed, causing Seohyun to slip and sprain her ankle.
However, Taeyeon was badly injured. She completely fell through the gap on stage, incurring many bruises and had to also be treated for shock.
2) Jun. K
2PM's member Jun. K fell off the stage during one of the performances of their 6 Nights concert. He fell from a height of nine feet, right between moving platforms. The K-pop stage accident shocked fans to the core.
Jun. K was severely injured and was rushed to the hospital. The concert was unfortunately canceled as well and the fans were refunded for their tickets. He fractured his right ring finger and right elbow and even sprained his shoulder because of the fall.
He had to undergo rehabilitation for his shoulder as the pain in his right arm caused him immense discomfort.
3) Subin
In 2011, during a live performance, DalShabet's Subin fell through the stage due to her foot getting caught in the gap. All the other members were shocked by her fall. Subin not only suffered through the trauma of the fall, but also severely injured her face.
During the fall, her face hit a pyrotechnic outlet, causing her lips and mouth to be cut open. She needed 16 stitches on her face for this. If she was even an inch closer to the outlet, she could have suffered irreparable damage. The K-pop stage accident could've been fatal for the singer.
4) GFRIEND
GFRIEND's Me Gustas Tu performance at HYUNDAI's 2015 Eco-Drive Concert left fans gasping every second, and not in a good way. The stage was full of plastic confetti, and one of the members was using her feet to remove it from the performance area.
The song might be a cute one, but the choreography is intense and involves a lot of kicks. All the members were slipping and falling, especially Yuju who fell more than five times. It was a massive K-pop stage accident and an oversight on the organizer's part.
The members had bruises all over their arms and legs. Fortunately, they weren't seriously injured, however, performing in such dangerous stage conditions is never advisable.
5) Wendy
During rehearsals for the 2019 SBS Gayo Dajaeon, Red Velvet's Wendy fell from a floating stage from a height of 2.5 meters, gravely injuring herself.
She was instructed to descend down the stairs from the second floor tunnel, however, the lift stairs were not ready in time and she lost her balance and fell.
It was too dark for Wendy to see, so she trusted the staff's instructions. The K-pop stage accident took place because the stairs were not adequately prepared ahead of time.
Fans were livid, asking SBS to take responsibility for almost having killed Wendy. She fell from a tremendous height which could've led the singer to injure her spinal chord.
She was immediately rushed to the hospital and given emergency care. The fall caused her to fracture her pelvis, wrist and cheekbone. She endured other facial injuries as well.
Despite the shoddy stage, SBS continued on with the program as planned. Other groups that performed at the show were also involved in minor stage accidents.
Negligence on the part of both the artist and the event organizers can lead to fatal K-pop stage accidents and hence any performance involving dangerous stunts must be done under utmost supervision and all safety precautions to ensure artists' safety must be taken.
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