Lee Seung Hwan Files Lawsuit Against Gumi Mayor Over Concert Cancellation

Singer Lee Seung Hwan has initiated a lawsuit against Gumi Mayor Kim Jang Ho for canceling a venue contract just two days before his concert. On December 24, Lee's legal team, Haemaru Law Firm, announced their decision to file for damages due to what they termed an 'unilateral and unjust cancellation' of the contract for the Gumi Culture and Arts Center, which was set to host Lee's 35th anniversary concert on December 25.

The law firm stated, "We have decided to file a lawsuit against Mayor Kim Jang Ho, who canceled the venue contract on December 23, resulting in the cancellation of the concert." They further explained that the plaintiffs include Dream Factory, which suffered economic losses from the cancellation, Lee Seung Hwan himself, who experienced both economic and emotional distress, and 100 ticket purchasers, totaling 102 plaintiffs. Although there are over a thousand ticket holders affected, the decision was made to limit the lawsuit to 100 individuals for procedural efficiency.

The lawsuit targets Mayor Kim Jang Ho personally, rather than the Gumi city government, emphasizing that the damages stem from his illegal actions. The law firm urged the mayor not to use taxpayer money to respond to the lawsuit or cover any potential damages.

In terms of financial claims, Lee Seung Hwan is seeking 100 million KRW, while each of the ticket purchasers will claim 500,000 KRW. The total amount will also include the economic damages incurred by Dream Factory. All legal costs will be borne by Lee Seung Hwan, and the process for the 100 ticket purchasers to join the lawsuit will be announced by December 30, 2024.

On December 23, Mayor Kim held a press conference where he announced the cancellation of the concert, citing safety concerns for citizens and attendees. This decision followed protests in Gumi demanding the concert's cancellation due to Lee's support for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The mayor explained that he had requested a safety personnel plan and a pledge from Lee's team to refrain from political provocations, but the response was a refusal to sign the pledge.

Lee Seung Hwan responded by criticizing the demand for a pledge that was not part of the venue regulations, calling it an unreasonable request made close to the concert date. He framed the situation as a matter of 'freedom of expression' and expressed his intention to address the issue legally, stating, "It is unfortunate and miserable. I will point out and change these problems to elevate the level of our society."