Haha Donates Performance Fee to Drought Relief Following Festival Controversy
South Korean singer and television personality Haha has issued a formal apology and committed to donating his entire performance fee after participating in a water festival held in a drought-stricken region.
On August 7, 2026, his agency QUAN Entertainment released an official statement addressing the public outcry over his recent appearance. "We sincerely apologize to everyone suffering and working day and night to overcome the severe drought," the agency stated.
Haha and his long-time musical collaborator Skull performed at the '2026 Miryang Super Festival,' a large-scale event centered around water-based activities and performances. The event faced swift backlash due to its location in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, a region currently grappling with severe agricultural water shortages caused by record-breaking summer heat waves and prolonged dry spells.
Local authorities in Miryang recently elevated the emergency response level for agricultural water supply to "Serious," the highest level on the national risk scale. Staging a resource-intensive water festival under these conditions sparked criticism from residents and the public, who questioned the appropriateness of the event's timing and format.
In South Korea, local festivals are heavily promoted during the summer season, but severe environmental conditions often trigger swift public scrutiny regarding resource allocation and municipal management.
According to QUAN Entertainment, the duo faced legal and contractual obligations that left them with little choice regarding their appearance. "We had to accept the legal assessment that bound us to fulfill our pre-existing contractual obligations, making our performance unavoidable," the agency explained.
Rather than profiting from the controversial appearance, the artist elected to divert all proceeds toward local recovery efforts. "We wish to join the efforts to overcome the drought in Miryang and provide whatever help we can to the citizens," QUAN Entertainment added. "We will do our best to help residents maintain hope during these difficult times."
https://www.dispatch.co.kr/2346133
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