[Sportschosun Reporter Cho Min-jung] Comedian Lee Sang-jun’s world tour has been hit by a series of controversies. About a month after audiences voiced complaints about the production and quality of his Los Angeles performance, his Tokyo show in Japan was suddenly canceled as well.
The Lee Sang Jun Show announced through its official channel on the 1st that the “2026 Lee Sang Jun Show 45 World Tour in Tokyo,” scheduled for the 21st, had been canceled. The announcement came less than three weeks before the performance.
The organizers apologized for the sudden announcement, saying, "The performance had to be canceled due to unavoidable circumstances." They added that details, including how to receive refunds for purchased tickets, would be announced once the procedures were finalized. However, they did not disclose the specific reason for the cancellation.
The cancellation drew even more attention because it came while controversy surrounding his U.S. performance had yet to die down.
On August 2, Lee Sang-jun held a stand-up comedy performance in Los Angeles for approximately 1,700 audience members. Shortly afterward, some attendees criticized the delayed start, unstable sound, and shorter-than-expected running time. As reports emerged that tickets had cost around 200,000 won, complaints continued that the quality of the performance did not justify the price.
As the controversy grew, Lee Sang-jun personally apologized. He acknowledged that some audience members had felt uncomfortable during the show and bowed his head, saying, "You came to laugh and have a good time, so I’m sorry." He also promised to study and prepare more thoroughly to show improvement.
The production team also offered an explanation. Hwang In-hee, the producer overseeing the Lee Sang Jun Show, said that sound problems affecting some seats were caused by issues with the venue’s facilities and on-site technical operations. Hwang emphasized that they were unrelated to Lee Sang-jun’s attitude or performance abilities. The producer also denied allegations that Lee Sang-jun had arrived late for the show.
Lee Sang-jun also explained that his visit to a baseball stadium before the performance was part of a schedule designed to find material that would resonate with local audiences, after some questioned whether he had been insufficiently prepared. He added that before his New York performance in April, he had personally visited Central Park and other local landmarks to find stories he could use in the show. Lee Sang-jun later continued the tour, selling out his Atlanta performance. He also expressed his gratitude to the audience, saying, "A comedian shouldn’t feel discouraged, but I think you supported me even more because you were worried I might feel that way."
However, with the scheduled Tokyo performance also canceled about a month after the Los Angeles controversy, attention has turned to the future schedule of the world tour.
Meanwhile, Lee Sang-jun’s Lee Sang Jun Show 44, held in 10 cities across South Korea last year, sold out every show and attracted approximately 18,000 audience members in total. This year, he is staging the Lee Sang Jun Show 45 world tour, expanding its scope overseas to countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia.
Reporter Cho Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
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