By Dong Sun-hwa
Fans of K-pop boy band EXO are demanding the cancelation of the group’s December gigs near Fukushima in Japan ― the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011 ― reports said Tuesday.
According to a schedule unveiled Monday on the band’s official fan site, the members are set to stage concerts on Dec. 20-21 at the Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi prefecture.
But the announcement has fueled worries among fans, since the venue is reportedly only 130 kilometers from the disaster-hit area. They are afraid their stars might be exposed to excessive radiation.
According to 2018 data from a Japanese civic group, Miyagi has the second-highest level of the maximum radiation exposure (20,493Bq/kg) in Japan, coming after Fukushima (112,759Bq/kg.)
Korea has also banned seafood imports from Miyagi and seven other prefectures ― Iwate, Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi, Chiba, Aomori, Fukushima ― since 2013, because of radiation concerns.
“This is too risky,” an online user said. “Call off the concerts regardless of the contract.”
Another wrote: “Did the agency get blinded by money?”
SM Entertainment, the mastermind behind EXO, has not yet responded.
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