Waterbomb Singapore to go ahead on Aug 24 and 25 despite legal troubles surrounding Evergreen CEO David Yong

The inaugural Waterbomb Singapore festival featuring a slew of K-pop artistes is set to go ahead later this month despite the legal troubles surrounding one of the organisers of the event.

It was announced last week that David Yong, CEO of Evergreen Group Holdings, is being investigated for fraud. The company is a co-organiser of Waterbomb Singapore along with Viu Scream Dates.

Viu Scream Dates responded to an email query by CNA Lifestyle on Monday (Aug 5) about the fate of the festival, which is set to take place on Aug 24 and 25, and if Yong will attend as planned.

A spokesperson for the company replied with the statement: “We remain focused on creating an unforgettable experience at Waterbomb Singapore on the 24th, 25th Aug and would like to assure that the event would proceed as planned.”

An updated timetable posted on Aug 11 revealed that Yong's slot, which was slated to take place after a performance by Kwon Eunbi at 5.56pm on Aug 24, has been removed.

Yong, 37, was charged on Aug 3 with falsification of accounts. He is accused of abetting a woman named Jolene Low Mong Han to falsify a tax invoice belonging to an Evergreen entity for the purported bulk sale of household fittings and appliances.

He has been remanded and will return to court on Aug 8. He faces up to 10 years' jail and a fine if convicted.

Yong gained fame earlier this year when he appeared on the Netflix show Super Rich In Korea, which showcases the lifestyles of five extremely affluent individuals who have chosen to set up base in Korea. On the show, Yong declared himself as part of “Singapore’s top 1 per cent super rich”, and gave a brief tour of his four-storey mansion in Singapore.

The two-day Waterbomb Singapore festival at Siloso Beach, Singapore, will feature music performances amid water cannons showering performers and the crowd. Many big names in the Korean entertainment industry will be performing, including Jay Park, Rain, Chung Ha, CL, Sandara Park, Sorn, Jessi and Loco.

Yong made a statement to the press when announcing the event in early May, saying: "Evergreen Group Holdings has always been one of the forerunners in bridging K-content between Korea and Southeast Asia. As the co-organiser for Waterbomb Singapore 2024, we are extremely proud to be bringing in the largest K-pop festivals to our shores. This promises to be just the beginning of a range of K-pop festivals and K-content activities that Evergreen will be spearheading in the near future."