Seoul Arena, backed by Kakao, opens booking for second half of next year

Seoul Arena, a performance venue backed by Kakao as its lead investor, will begin accepting official booking applications for the second half of next year.

Seoul Arena said Thursday that it will accept official booking applications from performance planning agencies and entertainment companies for the second half of next year through Sept. 18.

Seoul Arena is the largest performance venue under construction in South Korea, with Kakao participating as its lead investor. The project follows a build-transfer-operate scheme. Ownership of the facility will be transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Government upon completion. A project company in which Kakao holds a stake will operate the venue for 30 years.

Two spaces are available for booking: the "arena" and the "mid-sized performance hall." Companies seeking to apply can submit requests through Seoul Arena's official booking webpage.

Seoul Arena plans to review applications comprehensively, taking into account performance schedules, content, execution capacity and marketing plans, before deciding on approvals. Once a booking is approved, the venue will coordinate detailed matters concerning production and operations with the client company after signing a contract.

Kakao cited the venue's design, which was planned from the outset to specialize in music performances, as one of its key strengths. Seoul Arena is equipped with retractable seating that can be reconfigured depending on the type of event. It also features an LED seating system and sound infrastructure that work in sync with stage direction.

The venue also features the "arena," which can hold up to 28,000 people, and the "mid-sized performance hall," which can accommodate about 7,000. Together, the two spaces are designed to handle a wide range of live performances — from global tours to festivals, concerts, fan meetings and showcases. The two venues can also be used in conjunction with each other when needed.

Seoul Arena has also been designed to make production easier for booking clients. Its stage and seating can be reconfigured according to the scale and style of an event. In addition, the venue has installed a large-scale stage equipment lift system in its ceiling for lighting, sound and video equipment. It also includes pathways that allow cargo vehicles to drive directly into the venue.

With this round of booking applications, Seoul Arena plans to accelerate efforts to secure its performance lineup ahead of its planned opening in the first half of next year. Having been selected as the venue for "2027 Phenomenon," the arena will work to attract a range of performances while strengthening its support system for clients' production and operations.

"We are preparing to allow for greater freedom in staging performances and to offer audiences immersive live experiences that have been difficult to find until now," said Oh Ji-hoon, chief executive of Seoul Arena. "Starting with this round of booking applications, we will present performances, together with performance planning agencies from both Korea and abroad, that showcase what makes Seoul Arena unique."