Seoul's chronic shortage of venues has concert organizers looking elsewhere

Korea Herald

07-06-2025

Goyang, Incheon promote their major venues amid shortage in Seoul
A shortage of major concert venues has been a long-running issue in South Korea, particularly given the remarkable growth of K-pop and the subsequent increase in demand.
This year has been a particularly difficult one for concert organizers, as performance venues have become even harder to secure. Jamsil Olympic Stadium, which can hold between 60,000 and 100,000 people, is currently under renovation and will not be available until 2026. The other often used venue, Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, which can hold up to 66,000 people, is a sports stadium, with challenging acoustics, at best. Adding to the difficulties are the complaints from sports fans and athletes that the massive crowds at concerts damage the field.
On Saturday, the Korea Entertainment Producers' Association (KEPA) issued a statement calling for the issue to be properly addressed, even suggesting that the National Assembly site could be a suitable location for a dedicated concert area should the National Assembly be relocated to Sejong City, as has been suggested by President Lee Jae-myung during his election campaign.
'Building a concert venue requires a massive budget, which makes it financially burdensome. On top of that, it's difficult to secure suitable land within the limited space in Seoul, and the lack of administrative support has repeatedly led to the cancellation of large-scale venue projects,' Kim Myung-soo, head of KEPA, told The Korea Herald on Wednesday.
He added, 'Due to the shortage of concert venues in Seoul, event organizers are increasingly turning their attention to venues in the greater metropolitan area.'
"Booking a concert venue is always a fierce competition. There are far too few venues dedicated solely to festivals or concerts," an official from a concert organizing company also said.
Goyang City committed to large-scale concerts
Goyang City, home to one of South Korea's largest concert venues, Goyang Sports Complex, has made it clear since last year that it is committed to attracting large-scale performances at the municipal level.
Concert venues fall under different categories: arenas, which accommodate around 8,000 to 20,000 seats; domes, which hold between 20,000 and 30,000 seats; and stadiums, which can host concerts for more than 30,000 people. With a capacity of approximately 50,000, Goyang Sports Complex falls into the stadium category.
Goyang Sports Complex offers excellent accessibility for both domestic and international audiences, with its proximity to Incheon International Airport, Seoul Metro Line 3, and the GTX-A line. Additionally, since it is not a home stadium to a sports team, securing concert dates in advance is relatively easy.
In September 2024, Goyang City signed a business agreement with Live Nation Korea, a concert promoter. Under the agreement, Live Nation Korea has undertaken large-scale facility improvements, including the installation of noise reduction equipment and enhancements to audience safety pathways.
"Through the agreement, we are sharing Live Nation Korea's expertise in concert planning, as well as sound and stage production technologies, with Goyang City," explained an official from Live Nation Korea to The Korea Herald.
On Feb. 26, Goyang City held a briefing session on administrative support measures for attracting large-scale performances, reinforcing its ambition to establish itself as a major concert city. Goyang Urban Corporation has been conducting extensive facility inspections at Goyang Sports Complex and other small concert venues in preparation for major global events scheduled this year.
Following G-Dragon's world tour in March and Coldplay's Seoul concert in April, world class acts like J-Hope, Blackpink and Oasis will adorn the venue this year. The city expects approximately 740,000 attendees to visit Goyang Sports Complex in 2025.
Inspire Arena, dedicated concert venue
With a seating capacity of 15,000, Inspire Arena, located in Inspire Entertainment Resort in Yeongjong Island, Incheon, is South Korea's first multi-purpose indoor concert venue. Designed and built exclusively for performances, it has received praise for its superior sound quality and immersive concert experience.
Since hosting its first show in December 2023, Inspire Arena has held various events, including award ceremonies and concerts by both domestic and international artists. It is the first venue in Korea to feature a ceiling rigging structure capable of supporting up to 100 tons, allowing for spectacular stage productions. Additionally, it is equipped with advanced sound-absorbing facilities and a top-tier audio system.
Music fans have also praised the venue for its high-quality acoustics. 'I've been to many concerts at different venues, but Day6's concert at Inspire Arena last September was truly outstanding. For a band performance, sound quality was crucial, and I loved how clear both the drum and guitar sounds were,' said Lee Hye-won, a K-pop fan in her 30s.
Another strength of Inspire Arena is that it has a large outdoor venue outside — Discovery Park. It is an attractive feature for music festival organizers, as festivals typically run longer hours and have larger crowds than regular concerts, making it advantageous to have both outdoor and indoor stages. Weverse Con, a joint festival organized by Hybe, was held at Inspire Entertainment Resort for two years in a row, taking advantage of the indoor and outdoor venues.
On Feb. 18, Jang Hyun-ki, the general manager of the venue, announced that in 2024, the venue hosted a total of 69 events, attracting 519,000 attendees.
'This year, we are aiming for 60 billion won in revenue and 700,000 visitors. By the third year, once fully stabilized, we expect to attract 800,000 visitors annually,' he explained.
He also emphasized efforts to develop in-house productions, saying, 'We aim to go beyond being just a concert venue and focus on creating original content as well.'
Striving to overcome shortcomings
Goyang Sports Complex faces challenges due to its open-roof structure, making it difficult to host events in winter and during the monsoon season. Meanwhile, Inspire Arena is not easy to reach as it is located on Yeongjongdo, Incheon.
Goyang City is open to expanding or renovating Goyang Sports Complex to address its shortcomings. 'Discussions are underway on measures such as installing protective mats to preserve the sports lawn and adding a roof to enable performances even in inclement weather,' a Goyang City official told The Korea Herald.
Inspire Arena is also working to resolve its biggest drawback — accessibility. While its proximity to Incheon International Airport makes it convenient for overseas visitors, domestic concertgoers have frequently raised concerns about the long travel time to the island.
The venue estimates that it takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours to reach from central Seoul. Their goal is to reduce this to under 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Artists performing at Inspire Arena have also attempted to alleviate the problem by offering shuttle bus services bundled with concert tickets.
Infinite, for example, held its 15th-anniversary encore concert, "Limited Edition," on April 12-13. To improve accessibility, the organizers partnered with the Kakao T application to sell round-trip shuttle bus packages connecting the venue with major subway stations in Seoul, as well as major cities such as Daejeon, Daegu, Jeonju, Gwangju and Busan.