Song Ga-in's LA Concert Postponed Due to Visa Issues... Trump-era Visa Policies Disrupting US Performances

It has been revealed that singer Song Ga-in's concert scheduled for this month in Los Angeles (LA) has been postponed due to delays in visa issuance. This clearly shows the current situation where the recent strict immigration policies of the US government are hindering global popular culture exchanges.

⬦ Song Ga-in's LA Pechanga Concert Canceled... "Reapplying After Adjusting Venue Schedule"

Her agency JayZ Star announced on the 19th that Song Ga-in's concert 'Gain Dal The Chao Rda' at the LA Pechanga Theater, which was supposed to take place on the 14th-15th, was postponed because she did not receive her visa in time. A representative from JayZ Star explained, "We could not hold the concert because the necessary visa was not issued, and we are currently rescheduling the venue. Once the local venue company in the US sets a schedule, we plan to reapply for the visa."

⬦ Jaurim and Kim Chang-ok Also Affected... The Normalization of Disruptions in US Performances

This is not the first time that Korean artists have faced disruptions in their US performances due to visa issues.

Jazz vocalist Woongsan attempted to hold a concert in the US with the crossover group 'Project Nanjang' last year, but the concert was canceled due to visa issues with some team members. The band Jaurim also postponed their New York concert last year due to administrative delays. Broadcaster Kim Chang-ok was also reported to have canceled the recording of the 〈Kim Chang-ok Show〉 that was scheduled to take place in LA last year due to visa issues.

⬦ 'Trump Administration' Strengthening Entry Barriers... "30% Decrease in Overseas Artists Visiting the US This Year"

The background of this phenomenon is the 'strict immigration and entry control policies' of the Trump administration. Last month, the New York Times (NYT) reported that the costs of visa applications have increased in recent years, and as the Trump administration has raised barriers to visa issuance through entry bans, cases of foreign artists giving up on US performances have increased.

The rock band Tinariwen, which has many members from Mali in West Africa, canceled their North American tour plans after the Trump administration classified Mali among 19 countries subject to entry bans. Additionally, two staff members from the British theater company 'Quarantine' experienced visa issuance refusals simply because they were from Nigeria, leading to their entry examination being put on hold.

Matthew Covey, a lawyer specializing in immigration and visa matters for performing artists, predicted at an event of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals held in New York last month, "The number of overseas performers visiting the US this year will decrease by 30% compared to 2024."