Clapping and Shouting Banned at Concerts In South Korea

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Photo Credit: Madeleine Ragsdale

Shouting and clapping at concerts is banned in South Korea as live entertainment returns.

K-pop sensation BTS will return to the stage later this week, but fans can’t clap or shout. South Korea’s Ministry for Culture will allow 15,000 people per night to attend the live shows in the 70,000 capacity stadium in Seoul this weekend. But each of the live shows are subject to strict COVID-19 protocols that include banning clapping and shouting.

Big Hit Music is providing attendees with clappers to help emulate crowd noise. “Cheering loudly, yelling, chanting, and standing up during BTS Permission to Dance On Stage – Seoul is strictly prohibited according to government guidelines,” Big Hit Music says in a statement. “Instead, we will be having a fan event using clappers.”

The BTS Permission to Dance On Stage – Seoul event will be the first in-person shows in South Korea since the pandemic began. South Korea did not allow in-person events to return until November 2021, but heavy restrictions are still in place. These events are capped at 50% capacity or 4,000 spectators for most indoor facilities.

“Seating for the in-person performance will comply with spacing guidelines mandated by local government performance venue COVID-19 control measures,” Big Hit Music says. “The event may be changed or canceled depending on the social distancing level.” All attendees are required to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.

The performances on March 10 and March 13 will be streamed online for fans to enjoy. The March 12 performance will be available for ‘live viewing’ in cinemas across 60+ countries worldwide for BTS international fans to enjoy. The show won’t be live in some regions, though, as some regions are delaying broadcast due to time zones.

BTS returned to their in-person performances in November 2021 with a performance at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. That show became the biggest single venue concert engagement in nearly a decade, selling 214,000 tickets and grossing around $33.3 million in revenue.