Entertainment Industry Stabilizes After Emergency Martial Law Lifted

The South Korean entertainment industry faced significant turmoil following the declaration of emergency martial law for the first time in 44 years. However, with the recent lifting of the martial law, the industry appears to be returning to a state of calm.

On the night of December 3, chaos erupted in the entertainment sector shortly after President Yoon Suk-yeol announced the emergency martial law at 10:25 PM from the presidential office in Yongsan. This declaration was made in response to a severe disruption of social order, a situation that warranted such a drastic measure.

The martial law, which had not been declared since May 1980 under then-President Chun Doo-hwan, was quickly addressed. Within three hours of the announcement, the National Assembly convened with 190 members present, unanimously passing a motion to lift the martial law. By 4:20 AM on December 4, the presidential office confirmed the repeal through an emergency address, and just ten minutes later, the Cabinet also approved the motion.

Despite the swift resolution, the entertainment industry was thrown into disarray with various year-end events and award ceremonies on the horizon. On December 4, many scheduled photo ops and interviews were abruptly canceled. Notably, the cast of the Netflix series Trunk, including actress Seo Hyun-jin, decided to cancel their interview in Samcheong-dong. Similarly, fashion brands canceled events featuring actors Jung Eun-chae, Nam Yoon-su, and Kim Soo-hyun.

However, some productions chose to proceed as planned. The team behind the film The Big Family confirmed they would continue with their scheduled interview, as did the production team of the variety show Blood Game 3, which was set to take place near the National Assembly in Yeouido.

MBC Every1's music program Show! Champion also announced it would air as scheduled at 5 PM. Additionally, various industry events and weekend concerts set to begin on December 5 are expected to continue normally, although there remains a possibility of adjustments should any further political unrest arise.

Singer Lee Seung-hwan, who had canceled a small theater performance, expressed his thoughts on the situation, hinting at the need for reflection. Meanwhile, groups like INFINITE and Dynamic Duo confirmed their weekend concerts would proceed as planned. The swift return to normalcy in the entertainment sector is hoped to provide a sense of stability to the public.