5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
K-pop association suggests turning Assembly building into K-pop venue
Amid growing demands over K-pop arena, KEPA suggest several methods
The Korea Entertainment Producer's Association has urged the South Korean government to address the shortage of concert venues by suggesting sites for new K-pop concert halls — including the National Assembly building.
In an official statement released Saturday, KEPA emphasized the urgent need for a large-scale, K-pop-dedicated concert arena and broader infrastructure development.
'K-pop has become a leading (form of) global cultural content representing Korea, but the domestic concert infrastructure falls short of supporting this rapidly growing industry,' the association stated.
KEPA pointed out that domestic facilities significantly lag in both size and technical capabilities compared to major venues abroad. Most large K-pop concerts are held in Seoul Olympic Stadium, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Gocheok Sky Dome and KSPO Dome, but these facilities face limitations due to ongoing renovations, grass maintenance, and complex booking processes.
As its first proposal, KEPA called for the construction of a large-scale K-pop Arena. If the relocation of the National Assembly to Sejong City becomes finalized, the vacated site in Seoul could be developed into a world-class K-pop venue, the association suggested.
KEPA also proposed building a 30,000-seat indoor concert hall at the 88 Lawn Field and surrounding land in Olympic Park. Since KSPO Dome and SK Handball Stadium — both frequently used for K-pop concerts — are located within the park, the plan would create a large-scale entertainment complex in the area.
As a short-term solution, the association proposed introducing a 'performance quota system," which would secure access to major sports facilities in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area.
There are scheduling difficulties in securing cultural events at Seoul World Cup Stadium and other major sports venues, as professional soccer matches and national team games are prioritized under current municipal ordinances,' the statement noted.
By revising local ordinances, this system would guarantee a certain number of cultural events at major sports venues, it added.
KEPA also called for sustainable policy support to strengthen the industry's competitiveness. This includes expanding support for content production, implementing financial policies, offering tax benefits for small and mid-sized agencies and launching systematic development programs.
KEPA stressed that the K-pop fandom economy generates multi-trillion-won economic benefits annually, contributing significantly to tourism and local economies. 'These outcomes go beyond entertainment. They are key drivers of national soft power and international competitiveness,' the statement concluded, reinforcing the need for infrastructure investment.
Founded in 1992, the Korea Entertainment Producer's Association is one of the country's leading organizations representing entertainment producers. Since 1995, it has hosted the Dream Concert, one of K-pop's most iconic joint performances.
