Confusion over “Taeyeon” at local festival: Not Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, but trot singer Kim Taeyeon

A local Korean festival recently made headlines due to rumors that Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon would be performing. However, it was revealed that the artist who had actually been scheduled to appear was Kim Taeyeon, a traditional Korean music (gugak) and trot singer — not the K-pop star. Due to the confusion, Kim Taeyeon ultimately withdrew from the event.

On July 16 KST, reports confirmed that Kim Taeyeon had originally been set to perform at the 'Jangsu Korean Beef and Apple Festival (장수 한우랑 사과랑 축제)', scheduled for September 19 at Uiam Park and Nuri Park in Jangsu-gun. However, due to recent developments, her appearance has been canceled.

Speculation began when a poster listing Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon as a performer started circulating in online communities. As the K-pop star has not performed at local festivals for some time, the lineup stirred excitement. One user even claimed to have confirmed her appearance via a phone call with a festival official.

However, SM Entertainment, Taeyeon’s agency, denied the rumor, stating, “We were never contacted about this event. We hope there is no confusion among fans.”

It turned out that the scheduled performer was Kim Taeyeon, not Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon. Yet the confusion deepened when a local government official stated, “It’s not true that Kim Taeyeon is performing,” and denied any mix-up between the two artists.

According to reports, Kim Taeyeon’s team had received a confirmed offer from the event’s agency, and the performance had long been scheduled. Up until just a day prior, she was under the impression that she would be attending. Due to the miscommunication, she ultimately decided to withdraw.

The mix-up appears to stem from a communication error between the Jangsu county office and the agency. On July 15, the county office issued a statement via social media:

“We regret to inform the public that Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon will not be appearing at the 19th Jangsu Korean Beef and Apple Festival. A list of potential performers and an early draft of the poster were leaked, causing misunderstanding and disappointment to residents and fans. We sincerely apologize.”

Kim Taeyeon, born in 2012, began singing pansori and Korean folk songs at the age of four. She gained national fame as a “gugak prodigy” and later as a “trot prodigy” after placing 4th on 'Miss Trot 2', a popular TV Chosun audition show.