Kanye West’s South Korea Listening Party Canceled Amid Growing Controversies
Kanye West’s planned listening event in South Korea has officially been canceled, according to a joint statement released by local e-commerce giant Coupang and ticket vendor Interpark. The event, titled “YE Korea Concert,” was scheduled to take place on May 31, but organizers pulled the plug, citing “recent controversy” surrounding the artist.
“We would like to inform you that the ‘YE Korea Concert’ scheduled for Saturday, May 31st has been inevitably canceled due to the recent controversy surrounding singer Kanye West (YE),” the statement read. In addition to the event cancellation, Coupang confirmed it will cease selling Yeezy brand merchandise starting May 19. Refunds will be issued individually to those who purchased tickets.
Although the companies did not specify which controversies led to the abrupt cancellation, West has faced mounting backlash over his latest song “Heil Hitler,” which has been widely condemned for promoting antisemitic rhetoric. In the controversial track, West declares himself a Nazi and references being unable to see his children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
The fallout from “Heil Hitler” has extended far beyond the borders of South Korea. Over the weekend, hackers leaked West’s entire unreleased album Cuck, reportedly as an act of protest against his inflammatory statements. In a message circulated with the album leak, the hackers wrote: “F*ck Nazis. 50-year-old loser promoting fascism and hate speech. All proceeds from this groupbuy were donated to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.”
West appeared to address both the album leak and the South Korea cancellation in a cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Somebody got a drive and threw it on YouTube and said this is CUCK. What I love about getting blocked on DSPs and having songs leaked and shows cancelled is… It proves everything I’m saying and why I’m saying.”
This latest chapter in West’s ongoing series of controversies comes as the rapper remains largely sidelined by major platforms. Streaming services have yet to officially comment on the removal of “Heil Hitler,” and the broader music industry has kept its distance in light of his repeated inflammatory remarks.
The canceled concert in South Korea marks yet another setback for the artist, whose brand has become increasingly divisive. Whether West continues to push forward with more international appearances remains to be seen, but for now, the backlash shows no signs of slowing.
