Second K-pop arena planned for South Korea

A second arena dedicated to staging K-pop concerts is planned for South Korea’s capital city, Seoul.

It was announced yesterday (4 April) that South Korean IT giant Kakao and the Seoul metropolitan government have signed an agreement to start building the arena in Seoul’s northern Dobong district, this June.

Expected to be complete in October 2025, Seoul Arena will reportedly include a concert venue boasting state-of-the-art sound equipment, with a seating capacity of around 19,000 and a maximum capacity of 28,000 for standing events.

The arena will also feature a separate 7,000-capacity concert venue, as well as a cinema and commercial facilities.

Kakao said it expects Seoul Arena to attract some 1.8 million visitors per year and contribute to revitalising the local economy and bolstering the ecosystem of concerts.

Kakao said it expects Seoul Arena to attract some 1.8 million visitors per year

Kakao will reportedly be in charge of operating and maintaining the Seoul Arena for 30 years after it opens, while the venue will be owned by the city government.

Though Kakao has described the project as South Korea’s “first and largest” arena dedicated to K-pop, media giant CJ ENM and AEG began construction on a similar project last October.

The pair’s CJ LiveCity Arena, slated to open in Seoul’s Goyang City in 2024, is reportedly designed to accommodate 20,000 indoor attendees, with the capacity to extend to another 40,000 outdoors.

It is also said to be equipped with “the most powerful live performance infrastructure in the world”, including stage facilities, sound and lighting systems.

Centrally located between five of Korea’s largest cities, AEG projects the new venue will attract more than 20 million visitors annually.

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