Massive Attack’s South Korea gig video stirs row over 1980 Gwangju massacre
When Massive Attack covered Seo Taiji & Boys’ “Regret of the Times” at Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival on August 1, the British band framed it as a tribute to a song that had once defied authoritarian control. Now, a South Korean city councillor wants to use a government audit to investigate the band over the performance, a move critics say risks reviving the very dynamic the song was written to…
Massive Attack's performance of Seo Taiji & Boys' "Regret of the Times" at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival in South Korea has sparked a controversy over their use of footage depicting the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement. The performance was presented as a tribute to Seo Taiji & Boys' defiance of authoritarian control, but a city councillor in Incheon is seeking an audit of the band's involvement.
Lee Beom-seok, the councillor, claims the US supported the massacre during the Gwangju uprising, a claim he asserts is false and only propagated by North Korea. The band had previously stood against censorship in Korea, mirroring the struggle of Seo Taiji & Boys, and the performance included a critique of Israeli actions in Gaza.
Critics argue that the band's choice of footage risks reviving the very tensions the song was written to combat. The incident is not the first time Massive Attack has encountered government backlash over political content this year, as Singapore authorities barred two band members from re-entering the country after a concert where they displayed a Palestinian flag.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
