THESE 5 Disastrous Stage Accidents Shocked the K-pop Industry

By I. Monte Oct 15, 2023

[T/W: Contains disturbing details about death, injury]

Accidents are inevitable in any situation, and K-pop stage performances aren't spared from disasters. Whether it's due to lighting gimmicks or structure problems, many idols have experienced scary situations on the stage.

Here are 5 disastrous stage accidents that shocked the K-pop industry

1. Red Velvet Wendy Injured During 2019 SBS Gayo Daejeon Rehearsals

While the year 2019 was indeed unforgettable for its iconic K-pop releases, it also had its fair share of bad news. On December 25, SM Entertainment announced that Wendy had suffered injuries during the rehearsals for the 2019 SBS Gayo Daejeon.

According to a source from the agency, Wendy was immediately taken to the hospital after sustaining facial injuries, pelvis fractures, and a broken wrist. On December 26, SBS released a public apology for the incident.

2. Ex-BIGBANG Seungri's Scary Pyrotechnic Encounter

In 2007, Seungri received burns after being swamped by fireworks from a pyrotechnic explosion. The incident was closely recorded and was shown to surge in front of the former BIGBANG member's face.

Although Seungri still managed to avoid mid-way to prevent further wounds, he was still rushed to the hospital for burn treatment. This incident left him with a phobia for fireworks and pyrotechnics on stage.

3. Girls' Generation Taeyeon's Lift Mishap

When Girl's Generation's sub-unit TTS - Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun - finished their performance at the 2015 Seoul Music Awards, the lift from the stage suddenly withdrew.

This caused Taeyeon to fall on the lift, which was not elevated at the time. Following the accident, Taeyeon focused on recovery, since she received muscle injuries on her back.

4. GFRIEND's Slippery Stage

On September 5, 2015, GFRIEND performed at HYUNDAI's 2015 Eco-Drive Concert. However, the girls went viral for keeping up with the slippery stage, which was caused by rainfall.

GFRIEND is long known for having intense choreographies, and while most commended their professionalism on stage, the incident was still dangerous enough to give fans a scare.

Through numerous slips and falls, the members suffered bruises on their arms and legs, while Yuju, who fell several times, broke a finger.

5. 4MINUTE's Tragic Techno Valley Shaft Incident

October 17, 2014, was a tragic day for many concert goers. During 4MINUTE's performance at the Pangyo Techno Valley Festival, many spectators stood on top of a ventilation shaft to get a better view of the performance.

However, the vent collapsed due to overwhelming weight pressure, causing people to fall 10 meters deep into the underground parking lot.

In the end, it was tallied that a total of 16 people lost their lives that day. The unfortunate occurrence is still remembered as the most devastating accident to ever hit the K-pop industry, as there were many casualties on the line.