'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Coldplay's recent concert in Seoul, part of their ongoing world tour, has come under scrutiny following allegations of harassment reported by attendees. On April 19, 2025, Nate News reported that a female fan recounted a distressing experience where male attendees allegedly attempted to grab her hand and subjected her friend to repeated harassment.
The incident reportedly occurred during the band's performance at Jamsil Olympic Stadium. Several fans made a circle and were celebrating attending Coldplay's concert via Ganggangsullae.
Ganggangsullae is a traditional Korean circle dance and song performance. It is mostly performed in the southwest area of Korea during the Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) celebrations. The meaning of the word "Ganggangsullae" is commonly described as "to wagon or walk around in a circle." The fan recalled her experience and said,
Trending
“While I was watching because it was fun to watch, several men grabbed my wrists and my acquaintance’s wrists and pulled them several times (they never showed any intention of doing ganggangsullae. Instead, they backed away). We were so surprised that we said we wouldn’t do it, but other men did the same thing 3-4 more times.”
The female fan continued that more and more fans started joining the Ganggangsullae, and the circle kept getting bigger and bigger.
"And as it grew bigger, I got pushed to the side several times and almost fell over, so if you want to do ganggangsullae, I suggest that you try to do it on a smaller scale. Because it grew bigger, the firefighters even told us to disperse."
Previous incidents at Coldplay's ongoing Music of the Spheres world tour
While the recent concert was anticipated to be a memorable experience for fans, the reported incident has raised concerns about safety and crowd management at large-scale events. Meanwhile, the fan explained how the thrill of the night was marred by the alleged actions of concert-goers.
This is not an isolated experience at a live music event. Similar outlets reported inappropriate behavior from other concerts, including one attendee at Coldplay's concert in Ahmedabad, India, where a man claimed his girlfriend was verbally assaulted, and one attendee actually ripped up his handmade poster.
Furthermore, members of BTS also faced recent issues at the hug event FESTA 2024 due to allegations of both sexual misconduct and safety issues, which resulted in a police investigation.
These recurring issues underscore the need for enhanced security measures and stricter crowd control protocols at large gatherings.
Meanwhile, British rock band Coldplay made a big splash with their first concert performance in South Korea in April 2025 in more than 8 years. They are playing a total of six concerts at Goyang Stadium, as part of the band's international tour, Music of the Spheres, on April 16, 18, 19, 22, 24, and 25.
The concerts kicked off with the special performances from K-pop girl group, TWICE, on April 16, 2025. They performed on their tracks like Strategy and Cheer Up among others. The group also performed alongside Coldplay on the British band's song, We Pray.
In other news, on April 19, 2025, Coldplay invited Jin onstage and called BTS the world's No.1 best band and ranked itself at No. 2. The BTS member performed his solo single, The Astronaut, and sang a duet with Chris Martin on My Universe.
