South Korean singer Park Jae- sang, aka Psy, is currently touring with his Summer Swag concert, known for its large- scale production, water cannons and fireworks. His Busan show briefly brought a professional baseball game to a halt on Saturday after fireworks smoke drifted into the nearby stadium.
The incident took place during a KBO League game between the NC Dinos and Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium, about a 10- minute walk from the concert venue, Busan Asiad Main Stadium. The sports complex also includes other sports facilities and regularly hosts major sporting and cultural events.
The game was halted in the bottom of the sixth inning after smoke from fireworks at Psy’s nearby concert drifted into the stadium and became dense enough to obstruct visibility on the field, reported OSEN.
The fireworks continued for approximately 10 minutes. As the smoke filled the stadium and made it difficult for players to track fly balls, the umpires stopped play at around 8.42pm.
Play resumed at 9.01pm, resulting in a 19-minute interruption. Psy’s water-based Summer Swag concerts have also faced criticism in the past. The series began in 2011 and involves water cannons spraying the audience with drinking water. In 2022, Psy said each show used about 300 tonnes of water, prompting criticism in South Korea as the country was experiencing drought conditions.
This was not the first time fireworks from a Psy concert have affected a baseball game at Sajik. On August 16 last year, a Lotte Giants-Samsung Lions game at the stadium was interrupted after fireworks smoke from Psy’s concert at the nearby Busan Asiad Auxiliary Stadium drifted onto the field.
Other large concerts have been held at the Asiad Main Stadium without a reported impact on games. BTS held its Arirang world tour concerts there on June 12 and 13 this year, while the Busan One Asia Festival took place at the venue on June 27 and 28.