South Korea's Entertainment Industry Is Devastated By COVID-19

The Empty Stage (Elijah Ekdahl / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit South Korea. After experiencing a decrease in the number of cases, the government used a social spacing measurement plan with five levels starting from 1 - 1.5 - 2 - 2.5 - 3 to find out the movement of COVID-19. As a result, South Korea is at Level 2.5 where COVID-19 cases have reached more than 400-500 people. Therefore, a number of programs must be stopped in order to recover from the pandemic.

In the realm of television show production, there are several dramas that have been postponed, such as Hello It's Me, Sisyphus: The Myth, Snowdrop, River Where The Moon Rises, and others. This incident started after the production staff tested positive for COVID-19.

Production of films such as Determination to Part Ways, Handsome Guys and The Dragon Inn: Part 1 was also halted after a staff member was found to have interacted with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. Because of that one interaction, the entire filming process was stopped and they took a test.

No Local Release in December

Production house CJ Entertainment postponed the tentpole film, Seobok, starring Gong Yoo and Park Bo Gum. Scheduled to air in December, CJ chose to postpone the release indefinitely. The film Life is Beautiful from Lotte Entertainment also chose to withdraw from broadcast. This means that no local films will be released at the end of 2020 apart from Disney Pixar's Wonder Woman 1984 and Disney Pixar's Soul, which remain limited.

The 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards scheduled for December 11 was postponed until 2021. Blue Dragon is one of the highest awards in film in South Korea. Launching Soompi, this delay is the effect of COVID-19 cases that have not decreased. "We are trying to stop the spread and postpone the peak night for the sake of film activists. We ask for understanding from actors, members of the film industry, media and participating audiences so that the COVID-19 situation can subside. "

K-pop idols hit

Activities related to music shows in South Korea continue, a number of health protocols are also implemented, such as no audience at the event. But this doesn't keep K-pop idols away from the coronavirus. Some idols have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 after engaging in interactions and activities.

UP10TION's Bitto and Kogyeol announced positive for COVID-19 after Bitto communicated with someone who was positive. At that time, UP10TION was promoting on a number of television music shows.

Then there are two EVERGLOW members, Yiren and Sihyeon who found out the test results after filming for Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook on KBS on December 1. The two met someone who was positive for COVID-19 on November 22. As a result, all musicians who filmed with EVERGLOW had to do a test, including Ben, DAY6 (Even of Day), Gummy and presenter Yoo Hee Yeol.

Trot singer Lee Chan Won, who is a member of the Mister Trot program, also contracted the corona virus. He shot even though he didn't know he was positive for COVID-19. All the artists who are in one place with Lee Chan Won choose the test and quarantine independently.

Most recently there was Chungha who was announced positive for COVID-19 by her agency, MNH Entertainment. He apologized to fans and friends for this incident. Reportedly, before taking the test, Chungha visited Mina's house from Gugudan to have a meal together.

The event was also attended by WJSN's Yeonjung and DIA's Chaeyeon so that the three of them took the test. In addition, the groups TWICE, IZ * ONE, and MOMOLAND who interacted with Chungha at an event also took the test and tested negative for COVID-19.

Government Efforts and Entertainment Industry Activists for COVID-1

The way South Korea has handled the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the good steps that other countries need to emulate. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, they have implemented the 3T (Trace-Test-Treat) to find out the spread of COVID-19 cases. Professor Gye Cheol Kwon from the Laboratory Medicine Foundation said that Korean people have Balinese Balinese culture. The Balinese word means fast in Korean. They want to do a fast and proven, test laboratory network available within 17 days.

Quoting BBC International, this was done by the government after learning from the Mers virus incident in 2015 in which 36 people died because of Mers.

The 3T process began with a mass test conducted by the South Korean government using the concept of drive through and walk through and spread throughout the province. This testing is made to identify people who are suspected of being positive for COVID-19 and can be separated from other people.

Then there is Tracing, which is an effort to find contact movements from people who have been confirmed with COVID-19. They take data from credit card transactions, home GPS, CCTV videos, and interviews with people who are confirmed to know about the trip.

After knowing a person who is positive for COVID-19, the government classifies patients according to their symptom level, namely fever or respiratory problems. Patients who are positive are transferred to a special COVID-19 hospital and undergo self-quarantine with the help of the medical team.

The way the South Korean government is handling it makes it easier for health workers to find out the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Entertainment activists also do this even though they are only in the same room with people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Currently, a number of drama productions and shows are continuing under stricter health protocols and carrying out routine COVID-19 tests.