K-Pop Boy Band D-Crunch Was Prevented From Performing Scheduled Show in Kuwait

D-Crunch is an up-and-coming K-pop boy band. Sure, they might be following in the footsteps of massive, worldwide hit BTS, but they are definitely their own thing. And recently, they were set to perform a show in Kuwait. The stage was set and everything. Then, at the last minute, they were told the show was off. 

The nine members of the Korean K-pop band D-Crunch had to face their own audience in Kuwait on Sunday, Oct. 27 and tearfully tell them they wouldn't be performing that night. 

According to the Straits Times, just minutes before they were about to take the stage, they were told that "the authorities" had decided not to let them perform. They were told to go out on stage to break the news to their audience, and they did so while wiping away tears. It was a total shock to them and everyone who came to watch the show as well. 

Several media sources have reported that "the authorities were not happy about the D-Crunch members' stage personas as well as lifestyle choices." While there is no statement from officials in Kuwait, people have speculated that "authorities received rumors that the members were gay." According to Allkpop.com, this is what prompted officials to cancel D-Crunch's appearance on the show.

The boy band had performed just days earlier in Abu Dhabi as part of Korea Festival 2019 and were part of a show in Kuwait that was scheduled as part of a 40th-anniversary celebration Concert of Korea-Kuwait Diplomatic Relations. Reportedly, the event was free and included traditional Korean music and performances in addition to modern music and a performance by D-Crunch.

Good Morning Kuwait TV host Yousef Al Saleh said, "You can tell the crowd were there for K-pop. It was an age range between 14 and 50s or 60s. And people were there for D-Crunch, some girls had posters, they wore the [group's] T-shirts," according to the Straits Times. "K-pop is not controversial," he added, "it's all clean choreography because Korea has a standard and K-pop has a standard too."

Concert goers were disappointed not to see the band they came to see perform, and this move by Kuwait might signal that K-pop bands and other performers have to change their ways if they want to find success in more conservative Middle Eastern countries. 

In fact, according to the Straits Times, D-Crunch member Chanyoung told an interviewer before their show in Abu Dhabi that they had already changed some parts of their choreography to adhere to Middle Eastern culture. 

With the news of the canceled show, D-Crunch fans in Saudi Arabia are calling for the band to come perform over there where they will be welcomed. 

Fans also took to Twitter to express their displeasure with the minister of Kuwait, who was supposedly behind the decision to cancel the performance. "I'm so f--king mad," one person wrote. "The minister of Kuwait wouldn't let D-Crunch perform bc he thinks they're GAY??? They literally got called gay and was kicked off stage???? This is so f--ked up and the face that this happened to a group in 2019?????[sic]"

In the days following the show, D-Crunch posted a photo to their official Instagram account with the caption, "Thanks, everyone, for your hospitality! We love you too and some day we will definitely come back to meet you again. Love you all."