K-pop concert specific venues will open in Seoul.
Three large venues for K-pop
performance will open over the next few years in the Seoul metropolitan area.
K-pop fans will soon be able to enjoy
more quality performances at new concert-specific arenas in the Seoul
metropolitan area, with three large venues slated to open over the next few
years.
This year, the 15,000-seat 'Inspire
Arena' will begin operations in Incheon, west of Seoul. The performance hall is
part of 'Inspire Entertainment Resort', a casino resort by U.S. operator
'Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment' which will be set up near Incheon
International Airport.
Most K-pop stars have staged their
concerts at sports stadiums in Seoul. As these facilities were not built for
concerts, they usually could not provide the best environment for the singers
in terms of acoustics, sometimes degrading the overall quality of their shows.
However, K-pop singers and their
companies did not have any other options, as there were no other venues in the
Seoul metropolitan area that could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators.
And the number of these sports
stadiums is not sufficient to meet all demands and it is very difficult for
K-pop management companies to book venues for their stars.
Thus, numerous K-pop industry insiders
have called on the government to build more performance halls both big and
small especially at this time when K-pop
and Korean culture are enjoying their heydays.
"If we can enrich fan
experiences, a growing number of fans will visit Korea and attend K-pop
concerts".
"This will not only benefit K-pop
stars but also other pop singers, who will grasp more opportunities to take to
the stage.
Following the establishment of
'Inspire Arena', 'CJ LiveCity' Arena will be built in Goyang, northwest of
Seoul, in 2024.
It will offer 20,000 seats, becoming
the largest concert-specific arena in Korea. and the new arena is expected to
hold more than 190 performances and events annually.
In 2025, the Seoul Metropolitan
Government and 'Kakao' will open 'The Seoul Arena' in Changdong, northern
Seoul. The 18,000-seat venue will hold more than 90 performances every year.
