Se So Neon Apologizes To Fans For Performing At SWSX Festival

They put out an official statement.
News
Serah S. Cherrie
Serah S. Cherrie

The Korean indie rock band Se So Neon has apologized for participating in the 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival.

se_so_neon1 (1)
Se So Neon members Hyunjin (left) and So!YoOn! (right) | @se_so_neon/Instagram

The band, consisting of members Hyunjin and So!YoOn! was previously criticized by fans for their decision to move forward with the SXSW performance, despite many reaching out to them, asking for a withdrawal. Over 100 artists on SXSW’s roster pulled out of the event, citing its sponsorship by the US Department of Defense and other major players in the defense industry, including RTX, Collins Aerospace, and BAE systems. This massive boycott by artists was done in solidarity with Palestine, where the ongoing onslaught on civilian lives has been directly connected to these entities.

Up until the last moment, fans of Se So Neon were hopeful that the band would also pull out of the event but were left disappointed when it didn’t happen.

However, after the performance, the official social media accounts of the band put out a statement of apology, mentioning that they were unaware of the situation owing to the insufficient coverage of Gaza by South Korean media. They expressed their regret at not being able to monitor fans’ messages properly as well and clearly stated that they stand against the “brutal events taking place in Gaza.”

download (43)

So! Yoon! also put out a statement through her personal Instagram, apologizing for being unaware of the situation and sternly asserting that moving forward, she will not be singing at events that support any kind of war or indiscriminate violence.

download (44)
| @sleeep__sheeep/Instagram

Hey, guys.

Violence of any kind is never acceptable, and no death should ever be deemed inevitable. I take the issue of war and indiscriminate slaughter very seriously. I’m ashamed to admit that while in Korea, I wasn’t fully aware of the details and seriousness of this boycott. I’ feel a strong desire to raise more awareness and stand in solidarity with all the atrocities happening worldwide when I go back to Korea. Arriving in Austin and hearing firsthand accounts from local friends made the boycott situation more vivid for me. While I felt embarrassed by the fact that I didn’t have much choice, all I could do was my best, which, in this case, meant singing. Moving forward, I’ll ponder what I can do in the face of all the cruelty and violence in the world. Perhaps singing is the answer. Peace is always at the heart of my songs. But at least I won’t sing where it supports war. That’s my deeply felt stance.

— So!YoOn!

The apologies were highly appreciated by fans. However, many noted that it wasn’t up to non-Palestinian members of their fanbase to accept the apology. Some fans also hoped that other Korean artists could follow suit and bring more awareness about the dire situations in Gaza through their platforms.

Next Page
Scroll to top