Daedong-je Festival Relocated Uphill

The main performance of Pusan National University (PNU)’s annual Daedong-Je Festival, traditionally held at Nuknukhan-Teo (Nuk-Teo), will now take place at the Sports Complex starting this year. This unprecedented decision was deemed inevitable for audience safety. However, concerns have been raised about whether the festival can proceed smoothly under new circumstances.  

According to PNU’s Office of Student Affairs and Division of Facilities Management on March 21st, the Daedong-Je Festival will be held from May 27th to 29th at both Nuk-Teo and the Sports Complex. Booths and small-scale performances will be held at Nuk-Teo, while the main performance will take place at the Sports Complex. This marks the first time since the inaugural Daedong-Je Festival in 1985 that a venue other than Nuk-Teo will be used for the event. As a result, both coordinators and attendees will face the challenge of traveling approximately 1 km uphill from Nuk-Teo at the campus entrance to the Sports Complex in the mountains.  

The relocation was driven by concerns over Nuk-Teo’s weak ground structure and difficulties in managing large crowds. According to the Office of Student Affairs, 2024 Daedong-Je Festival drew an unprecedented crowd of over 10,000 people, including undergraduate and graduate students from PNU, students from Busan National University of Education, and local citizens, largely due to the appearance of the popular group “NewJeans.” Despite efforts by the Main Offices and the General Students’ Association to restrict access near Nuk-Teo, incidents occurred, including unauthorized entry into school buildings and blocked access for emergency vehicles. An official from the Office of Student Affairs stated, “For the safety of such a large crowd, we viewed the Sports Complex as a more suitable venue. We plan to hold the festival there in the future.”  

Investigations revealed that concerns about Nuk-Teo’s weak ground structure had already been raised during the 2024 festival. A “Structural Safety Inspection,” conducted by the Division of Facilities Management at the request of the Office of Student Affairs before the festival, revealed that the ground could not safely support more than six people per square meter, each weighing 70kg. If the crowd starts jumping, the safe limit drops to just two or three people per square meter. Compared to the typical queue density of four people per square meter, this suggests that spectators must be spaced out more than those in a waiting line to prevent excessive strain on Nuk-Teo’s ground. The Division of Facilities Management explained, “Nuk-Teo was originally designed for activities like soccer and walking, not large-scale performances. The additional load from people jumping in sync with the music makes it even more dangerous.” 

At the time, the Division of Facilities Management reported that Nuk-Teo was structurally vulnerable for hosting performances. In response, the Office of Student Affairs explained, “The inspection results were released on May 7th, which was just about three weeks before the festival, making it impossible to change the venue on such a short notice.” Instead, the university spent approximately 10 million won to install temporary reinforcement structures in the underground parking lot beneath Nuk-Teo to ensure the festival could proceed. The Division of Facilities Management admitted, “We didn’t fully restrict access to the underground parking lot but fortunately, no accidents occurred.” Later, thanks to the Division of Facilities Management’s reiteration that the same measures would not be sufficient to ensure safety to the Office of Students Affairs, the venue for the Daedong-Je Festival was relocated. 

While the relocation was necessary for safety reasons, students are expected to face unavoidable inconveniences. The Sports Complex is located at the highest point on campus, making it far less accessible than Nuk-Teo. According to Naver Maps, the distance from Nuk-Teo to the Sports Complex is approximately 1.1 km, taking 16 minutes on foot. Given a steep incline, the route is comparable to a hiking trail.  

Students have expressed mixed reactions: understanding the safety concerns but challenging accessibility to the location . PNU Student A stated, “Last year’s festival felt too crowded, so this change might help ease congestion. But walking all the way up to the Sports Complex is going to be exhausting.” Another PNU Student B (Dept. of Art, Culture, and Image, 22) voiced concerns about safety, saying, “Going down that steep hill late at night after the festival could be dangerous, especially with large crowds.”  

To minimize inconvenience, PNU plans to enhance pedestrian routes while restricting vehicle access. Measures being considered include designating specific walking paths, controlling surrounding traffic, and managing separate entrances for students and visitors. A representative from the Office of Student Affairs explained, “The Main Offices is planning to designate walking routes from University Headquarters to PNU Museum, the Central Library, and the Music Building for pedestrians. Visitors will enter through the Sports Complex’s stand-side entrance, while students will be directed to the front of the stage.”  

Meanwhile, concerns about crowd safety at the Daedong-Je Festival became relatively recent. The surge in crowd sizes began in 2022 as many people gathered to see the performance of the popular group “WINNER” during that year’s festival. In particular, the 2024 festival’s budget was set at about 300 million won, doubling the 2023’s budget, and news that top-tier celebrities would be performing attracted local attention as it was seen in Channel PNU’s May 31st, 2024 coverage. A Main Offices official stated, “It was unusual. When WINNER was scheduled to perform,  nearby high school girls were already lined up by 8am for the concert. In 2024, the line extended beyond the main gate, which highlights a strong need for safety.”

Reporter Hwang Ju-Won

Translated by Thadar-Soe