A rendering of Seoul Arena, a K-pop dedicated concert venue scheduled to open in May next year. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul unveiled on Tuesday a 2.7 trillion won ($1.9 billion) plan to transform Chang-dong, a neighborhood in the city's northeastern Dobong District, into a 24/7 K-pop-themed cultural hub, anchored by a new concert venue as well as a cluster of entertainment and commercial facilities intended to draw more visitors north of the Han River.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the “K-entertainment town” project is meant to serve as a new economic engine for the area and beyond as the city aims to draw 30 million foreign tourists a year.

“Chang-dong and the surrounding Sanggye area will no longer be the outskirts of Seoul, but will become the cultural and artistic hub of the city and a solid economic core that will shoulder its future as a key area in opening the era of 30 million foreign tourists,” Mayor Oh Se-hoon said during a press conference.

The central part of the scheme is the Seoul Arena, a K-pop concert hall slated for a May 2027 opening. The place will be able to accommodate up to 28,000 fans per performance and is expected to host some 100 large-scale shows a year, serving as the main gateway into the wider K‑entertainment district.

City officials said they are considering an opening event pairing a major K-pop act with an overseas artist, with the lineup expected to be confirmed by the end of this year.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a press conference annoucning at City Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Beyond the arena, the city plans to remake Chang-dong into a live stage district where music and other cultural events run year-round. A new "Connective Live" system will stream arena concerts live to multiple locations across the neighborhood, effectively turning the surrounding area into an extended viewing space.

Year-round exhibitions and hands-on programs will also be offered at the nearby Photography Seoul Museum of Art, the Seoul Robot & AI Museum and spaces beneath the elevated tracks at Chang-dong Station.

The project will be linked to other cultural hot spots north of the Han River, with joint events and performances planned alongside Dongdaemun Design Plaza and the nearby Dongdaemun K-pop Street.

Source: Korea Times News