How would somebody cope when
their name is rather similar to the name of something that is currently both
feared and disliked in the world? In a way, the Korean-styled Filipino boy band
SB19 have an idea of how that feels, and they managed to deal with it in their
own awesome way. The quintet of Josh, Justin, Ken, Sejun and Stell were
supposed to hold a concert next week that has also been postponed in light of
the novel coronavirus pandemic and the rise of confirmed cases in the country.
SB19 also responded to comments regarding the similarity between their name and
the COVID-19.
According to The Philippine Star, SB19 confirmed in a press conference this past
Thursday, March 12, that their concert at the Araneta Coliseum on March 19 will
be moved back to a later unspecified date. It was a significant setback
considering this would be their first major concert as a group, but they also
want to prioritize the safety of the audience, especially their ATIN fandom,
while the COVID-19 pandemic is in an all-time high of spread and infection.
SB19 asked their fans to watch their social media pages for updates on the postponed
event.
Snarky commentary also brought to
light the (minimal) similarities between their SB19 boy band name and the
COVID-19 designation of the disease wrought by the 2019 novel coronavirus.
Sejun told a story of an ATIN’s Twitter post equating the power (popularity and
contagiousness) of SB19 and COVID-19, which went viral among their fan
community. Josh adds that the forced comparison also made him laugh, but notes
that the onset of the virus was mere coincidence when it comes to the name of
their “P-Pop” group, which only debuted in 2018.
With the country and the world on
high alert following the pandemic declaration, SB19 remarks that they are
playing their own part in keeping the rate of infection in check. Josh notes
that they have started practicing social distancing with fans, further
explained by Justin that their band has reposted safety tips and precautions
against COVID-19 on their social media channels. The boys are thankful that
their ATIN fans were understanding and even applauded the latter’s initiative
in trying to raise Filipino spirits by buying Dunkin Donuts for strangers
during the lead-up to their on-hiatus concert. Dunkin Donuts is the primary
sponsor of “Give in to SB19,” which was not yet given a new date.
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