The highly-anticipated K-pop concert, part of the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree,' finally takes the stage on August 11 (KST).

The concert, dubbed 'K-Pop Super Live,' will be held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The line-up boasts top-tier K-pop acts including NCT Dream, ITZY, MAMAMOO, IVE, NewJeans, THE BOYZ, Shownu & Hyungwon, fromis_9, ZEROBASEOne, Kang Daniel, Kwon Eunbi, Cho Yuri, P1Harmony, KARD, TheNewSix, ATBO, Cyrcus, HolyBang, and Liberante. Actors Gong Myung, ITZY's Yuna, and Newzins' Hyein are set to host the show.

Despite the dazzling roster, the road to the concert has been rocky. From the get-go, the '2023 World Scout Jamboree' faced controversies due to organizational issues, with the 'K-Pop Super Live' itself undergoing unexpected date and venue changes, affecting both performers and directors.

Some top-tier artists dropped out amidst speculations of political interference, and concerns grew over potential typhoon damages. There was also criticism from some fans who planned to disguise themselves as Jamboree scouts to watch the concert.

Originally scheduled to be held outdoors at Saemangeum on the 6th at 8 PM, the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree' committee, fearing safety and heat-related incidents, postponed it to the 11th and changed the location to Jeonju World Cup Stadium. However, due to Typhoon Khanun's predicted trajectory, the final venue was moved to Seoul upon the request of the World Scout Federation.

The venue changes led to a shake-up in the lineup. Artists like Enmik, VERIVERY, and initially announced MCs Jang Dong-yoon and STAYC's Sieun couldn't participate due to scheduling conflicts.

Amidst all this, BTS, the global sensation, became a topic of discussion. A statement by lawmaker Sung Il-jong on the 8th urged for BTS to perform at the Jamboree for national pride, sparking backlash from ARMY (BTS's official fan club), who saw this as a potential political play. Sung later clarified his intentions, but BTS was eventually not part of the final lineup.

Interestingly, most of the artists set to appear on KBS's 'Music Bank' live broadcast, originally scheduled on the 11th, are now performing at 'K-Pop Super Live.' This led to speculations that KBS, the main broadcaster of the concert, cancelled 'Music Bank' to use the same artists for the concert. Indeed, 'Music Bank' was abruptly cancelled, and 'K-Pop Super Live' will be aired at 7 PM on KBS1. Most of the 'Music Bank' production crew, including Hwang Min-kyu and Lee Jung-wook, were also involved in the concert.

Above all, there are concerns regarding the after-effects of Typhoon Khanun. Given the large-scale outdoor venue, there are worries about safety. While the storm is expected to subside during the concert, setting up the stage amidst strong winds and heavy rain could impact the concert infrastructure, including sound systems. Concerns were also raised about potential damage to the World Cup Stadium's grass field.

Fortunately, as of 6 AM on the 11th, Typhoon Khanun weakened into a tropical depression and dissipated. As the saying goes, "the ground hardens after rain," it's anticipated that the 'K-Pop Super Live' will conclude successfully after weathering various challenges.

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