Spring Scream fest in southern Taiwan a total flop

南臺灣春吶晚會慘敗

Spring Scream 2019 described as 'disastrous' despite special performance by Kaohsiung Mayor Han on Saturday


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The 2019 Spring Scream (春吶) festival in southern Taiwan appears to have been a resounding flop this year, despite a guest appearance by the sensational Kaohsiung Mayor, Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜).

The annual beach party, under new management this year, began on Friday, May 3, but crowd turnout was underwhelming the first two days of the three day event.

Media reports indicate that on the first day, there were less than 50 people enjoying live performances at the festival, which featured four different stages and almost 20 live acts on Friday.

Food and item vendors at the festival were also disheartened by the lackluster turnout, with one vendor who rented a space at the festival calling the turnout “disastrous,” reports Liberty Times.

The Spring Scream Festival has a history of 25 years in Taiwan.?However, in recent years, the turnout has declined in comparison to the event’s heyday during the 2000s.

A general decline in tourism to Kenting, along with overcast weather may have contributed to the poor turnout at this year’s event, which was organized by the “Dust and Wind Company.”

Hoping to enliven the party and make sure that the audience got its money’s worth, the mayor of Kaohsiung and several of his city councilors appeared on stage at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4 to serenade the crowds with a performance of the song “Read you” (讀你), by Tsai Chin (蔡琴).

Han was met with cries of “Get off the Stage!” and his performance likened to ”old people KTV” by one report. One netizen shared a picture to social media of a thoroughly dissatisfied concert-goer, who can be seen with their face to the ground expressing lament during the mayor’s performance.


Distraught audience member during Han's performance (Photo shared to social media)