Kim Chaewon at Soongsil University: Fan Concern Follows Reported Neck Pain During Festival Stage

LE SSERAFIM member Kim Chaewon became the focus of fan concern after a Soongsil University festival performance, where videos circulating on social media appeared to show her having difficulty moving her neck. The concern, reported on May 16, centered on the performance condition of Kim Chaewon at Soongsil University and whether recent “CELEBRATION” choreography may have contributed to what fans described as visible neck discomfort.¹

The available reports do not include an official medical statement or confirmed diagnosis. The issue has therefore been discussed publicly as Kim Chaewon Neck Pain concern rather than a confirmed injury, with the main verified points limited to fan reaction, social media videos, the Soongsil University setting, and the reported adjustment to choreography.¹

Kim Chaewon at Soongsil University Festival

김채원 숭실대 Seoul music scene fan concern concept

LE SSERAFIM was listed among the K-pop acts scheduled for Soongsil University’s spring festival on May 13, part of a wider May 2026 university festival season that included appearances by groups such as Riize, ILLIT and KiiiKiii.² University spring festivals have become a prominent performance circuit for K-pop acts, giving groups repeated live-stage exposure outside regular music programs and concert venues.²

The concern over Kim Chaewon’s condition emerged after that campus performance. Allkpop reported on May 16 that videos circulating online showed the LE SSERAFIM member appearing to struggle with neck movement during the Soongsil University stage.¹ The same report said fans linked the concern to the group’s recent “CELEBRATION” choreography, which had included intense head movements.¹

A key detail in the discussion was the reported removal of the headbanging section during the university performance. The Allkpop report noted that the Soongsil University stage reportedly omitted that portion of the choreography, a change that drew additional attention because fans had already associated the routine with strong neck and head movement.¹

No source in the provided material confirms that Kim Chaewon sustained an injury, received treatment, or changed her schedule because of the performance. The current public record supports a narrower account: fans expressed concern after viewing performance footage, and the concern was connected to choreography that had already been noticed for its physical intensity.¹

Why “CELEBRATION” Choreography Drew Attention

The discussion around the Soongsil University performance was closely tied to LE SSERAFIM’s “CELEBRATION,” the group’s pre-release single from its second full album “PUREFLOW pt.1.” Edaily reported that the song was released on April 24, while Allkpop also identified it as the pre-release single from “PUREFLOW Pt. 1.”³⁴

Before the full release, Sports Seoul reported that LE SSERAFIM unveiled a “CELEBRATION” music video teaser through HYBE Labels’ YouTube channel and official social media on April 22. The report described a section in which all five members strongly shook their heads while moving forward, a detail that later became relevant to fan discussion after the Soongsil University footage circulated.⁵

Sports Seoul also reported that Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin participated in the song’s creation, adding another layer of attention to Kim Chaewon’s connection with the track beyond its stage performance.⁵ The choreography itself, however, became the main point of public discussion after the festival appearance because of the head movement seen in earlier promotional material and the reported change during the Soongsil University performance.¹⁵

The musical identity of “CELEBRATION” was described consistently across reports. Edaily said Source Music described the song as one that mixes melodic techno and hardstyle, while The Fact also reported that the song combines those genres.³⁶ Allkpop’s release coverage similarly described the track as combining techno with hardstyle and framed the song as dealing with facing inner fear and growing stronger from it.⁴

In press-release reporting carried by Edaily, Source Music described “CELEBRATION” as “a song mixing melodic techno and hardstyle.” LE SSERAFIM also said the track “contains our story within exciting energy,” according to the same report.³ Those descriptions help explain the song’s forceful performance concept, but they do not establish any medical conclusion about Kim Chaewon’s condition.

Fan Concern Remains Based on Public Footage

The strongest source-backed account remains limited to what was visible in circulating videos and how fans responded to them. Allkpop reported that fans expressed concern because Kim Chaewon appeared to have difficulty moving her neck during the Soongsil University festival performance.¹ That wording leaves important boundaries in place: it reports an appearance in video footage and fan concern, not a confirmed medical finding.

The reported removal of the headbanging portion also remains significant because it suggests the performance seen at Soongsil University differed from the version fans associated with “CELEBRATION.”¹ Still, the available material does not state who made the adjustment, why it was made, or whether it was connected to Kim Chaewon’s condition.

The public reaction also came during a period when “CELEBRATION” was already receiving attention through official promotional content. The Fact reported that LE SSERAFIM posted a short-form video for the “#TimeToCelebrate” campaign on official social media on April 22, featuring part of the song, and that Instagram celebration videos on the group’s official account had surpassed 31.75 million combined views at the time.⁶

Kim Chaewon Soongsil University CELEBRATION choreography concern concept

For now, the Kim Chaewon Soongsil University discussion is best understood as a fan concern story tied to visible performance footage and a demanding choreography sequence, rather than a confirmed health update. Without an official medical statement in the available source material, the verified facts remain that LE SSERAFIM performed at Soongsil University’s May 13 festival schedule, fans later raised concern over Kim Chaewon’s neck movement, and reports said the headbanging section of “CELEBRATION” was removed from that university stage.