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| A rendering of the proposed design of Inspire Arena / Courtesy of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts |
Korea in process of building more concert-specific arenas
By Dong Sun-hwa
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.
According to the company, Inspire Arena will be equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system as well as monitors that will ensure visibility for all audience members.
"We will install the up-to-date sound system provided by global audio manufacturer Meyer Sound," a company official was quoted as saying. Founded in 1979, Meyer Sound is known as a leader in self-powered loudspeaker systems and active acoustics.
To date, most K-pop stars have staged their concerts at sports stadiums like Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul, the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park and the Jamsil Sports Complex's Main Stadium in southern 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.
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| Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government |
However, K-pop singers and their record labels 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. To make it worse, the number of these sports stadiums is not sufficient to meet all demands, making it extremely challenging 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. Lee Gyu-tag, an associate professor of cultural studies at George Mason University Korea, said in a recent interview with The Korea Times that Korea needs more concert venues of different sizes, so that it can draw more international music fans to Korea.
"If we can enrich fan experiences, a growing number of fans will visit Korea and attend K-pop concerts," he noted. "This will not only benefit K-pop stars but also other pop singers, who will grasp more opportunities to take to the stage and make their livings."
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.
CJ LiveCity, a subsidiary of entertainment behemoth CJ ENM, and the Goyang City Government inked a memorandum of understanding with American global sporting and music entertainment presenter Anschutz Entertainment Group in November to attract foreign capital and bring prominent singers from abroad to Korea. The new arena is expected to hold more than 190 performances and events annually.
In 2025, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and tech giant Kakao will open the Seoul Arena in Changdong, Dobong District, northern Seoul. The 18,000-seat venue will hold more than 90 performances every year.
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