Troubled World Scout Jamboree comes to a close with K-pop extravaganza
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- More than 40,000 scouts from around the world joined together for a K-pop concert in Seoul on Friday night to bid farewell to a World Scout Jamboree plagued by brutal weather and poor preparation.
A caravan of more than 1,000 buses transported the scouts to Seoul World Cup Stadium for a star-studded show featuring 19 K-pop acts including NewJeans, Ive, NCT Dream, Itzy, Mamamoo and The Boyz.
Friday's event was an all-out effort by the South Korean government to salvage the jamboree after a scorching heatwave and subpar conditions at the campsite had American and British contingents leaving early over safety concerns.
The approach of Typhoon Khanun then led to Tuesday's complete evacuation of the site -- a treeless reclaimed tidal flat in the southwest of the country -- leaving the scouts scattered at over 130 facilities around the country.
Despite a litany of troubles leading up to the finale, the atmosphere was festive on Friday as troops of scouts made their way into the 66,000-seat soccer venue waving flags, chanting and exchanging greetings with fellow contingents.
"The jamboree in Korea was a little bit weird because the weather didn't help too much," Andres Murcia, a scout from Colombia, said. "But I think that everyone had a positive attitude. In my opinion, you need to see the good things, to be optimistic and try to enjoy it."
One American scout called the jamboree experience "a rollercoaster."
"But we made it and we're having fun," he said.
Before the K-pop concert began, a closing ceremony was held featuring video highlights and the handover of the Scout flag to a representative from Poland, the host country for the 2027 jamboree.
"The last few days have not been easy, to say the least," Ahmad Alhendawi, secretary general of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, said in an address to the crowd. "I am painfully aware that you had other expectations."
Alhendawi praised the "determination, creativity and resilience" of the scouts in responding to the setbacks.
"You rose to the challenge and turned this into a special experience," he said.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told the scouts he was sorry they "suffered unprecedented heatwaves and typhoons caused by climate change."
"I hope that the cultural experiences you had in various parts of Korea and the K-pop concert ... will remain beautiful memories for you," he said.
Political fallout from the disastrous event looks to continue well past Friday's finale, with the ruling People Party Power and the opposition Democratic Party exchanging blame for the jamboree's shortcomings.
Once the K-pop concert kicked off, however, problems were at least temporarily forgotten as tens of thousands of gleeful scouts danced, sang and shook glowing light sticks that were handed out as part of a gift bag.
Friday's concert was hosted by actor Gong Myoung, Itzy's Yuna and NewJeans' Hyein.
Also participating were Shownu X Hyungwon, Fromis 9, Zerobaseone, Kang Daniel, Kwon Eun-bi, Jo Yuri, P1Harmony, Kard, The New Six and Atbo.
