A petition has been filed with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requesting an audit into the approval process and facility usage for a BLACKPINK fan meeting held at the National Museum of Korea.
The complainant submitted a petition through the National E-People’s Portal on August 10th. The petition calls for an investigation into the appropriateness of the event approval, facility usage permits, and public announcements related to the BLACKPINK 10th anniversary fan meeting held on August 8th.
The petition has been assigned to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Audit and Inspection Division.
“Specific circumstances have been confirmed where access to some exhibition spaces was restricted on the day of the event, and existing workshop viewing schedules were delayed,” the complainant stated. “Reports emerged that the specific event location was still being coordinated until the day before the event.”
“This audit request is not to question the K-pop collaboration itself, but rather to confirm through internal records how a private fan event was classified administratively and what procedures were followed for its approval and operation at a museum representing the nation,” complainant explained.
The complainant further questioned, “It is not clear from currently available public data whether this event was a joint event as an extension of existing collaborations, a separate external rental, a museum-led cultural project, or handled as another form of facility usage, such as for promotional purposes.”
“The cultural utilization and international promotion of the National Museum of Korea must be conducted in a manner that harmonizes with the museum’s founding purpose, general public access, existing educational and cultural programs, management of state property, facility safety and accurate guidance for rental and facility usage procedures and users,” the complainant emphasized.
“The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism must investigate whether the entire process leading up to the event was conducted appropriately and fairly,” the complainant urged.
The National Museum of Korea, which had previously engaged in a global collaboration project with BLACKPINK titled “National Museum of Korea X BLACKPINK” in February, hosted a fan meeting on August 8th to commemorate the group’s 10th anniversary.
However, the event faced criticism for being hastily organized. The official announcement was made only two days prior, on August 6th, and applications were only open for a mere 9 hours for what was described as a small-scale event for 40 participants.
Controversy also arose on August 7th, the day before the event, as the specific venue had not yet been finalized. Even the National Museum of Korea, mentioned as a potential venue, stated, “We are in discussions to ensure it does not affect the flow of general visitors.”
Late on August 7th, an announcement was posted on the museum’s website titled “Temporary Adjustment Notice for Some Exhibition Spaces on August 8th.” However, it lacked details regarding the event’s name, organizer, or the specific times and areas of exhibition restrictions, leaving attendees disappointed.
During the fan meeting, which commenced at 2 PM on August 8th, access to certain exhibition areas was indeed restricted, and some related workshops and events were delayed.
Artist and illustrator 2DA recounted the situation, saying, “We were supposed to have a lecture until 2:30 PM and then proceed to view the exhibition, but the lecture was forcibly extended until 3:10 PM.” She added, “My editor would go outside the lecture hall every 10 minutes to check if the BLACKPINK situation was over, and when they made an X-sign with their arms, I continued speaking.”
The gifts given to fans also became a topic of discussion after the event. BLACKPINK prepared pink bouquets and rice cake sets as thank-you gifts for fans who attended the event.
The rice cakes, which were reportedly worth around 6,900 won ($4.8), sparked another debate. The issue was not the price of the rice cakes themselves, but rather that some fans felt the gift seemed underwhelming for a 10th anniversary celebration, especially when considering the event’s previously criticized scale and short preparation period.
Some fans commented, “The problem isn’t the rice cakes or the price itself, but the lack of thought behind the gift,” and “This was an event for fans who have supported them for 10 years, so the overall package feels disappointing.”
However, others argued that it was unfair to judge the members’ love for fans or the meaning of the event solely based on the price of the gifts.
>> BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Explains Her Tears at 10th Anniversary Event
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