Seoul Arena, a K-pop venue in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul that can accommodate 30,000 people, will open in the first half of next year.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the plan for "global culture hub K-entertainment town Chang-dong" on the 21st.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "Chang-dong and the surrounding Sanggye area are no longer the 'outskirts,' but a culture and arts hub in northeastern Seoul and a core area that will usher in the era of 30 million foreign tourists, becoming a solid economic core that will shoulder Seoul's future."
At Seoul Arena, concerts for 30,000 people are expected to be held at roughly three-day intervals. The city plans to introduce a live broadcast system, "Connective Live," that allows people to enjoy the performances in real time from outside as well, effectively turning all of Chang-dong into a single venue. Chang-dong Station will have its name concurrently listed as "Seoul Arena Station" or "K-entertainment town Station."
The city will designate the Chang-dong area as the "Chang-dong culture and tourism special development promotion district." The goal is designation next year. By offering incentives such as financing, tax benefits, and relaxed floor area ratios, it will spur private investment, and by designating a regional specialized development zone, it will ease regulations on use of public space, outdoor advertising, and signs.
It will also add 700 hotel rooms when developing land for the Chang-dong Station integrated transfer center, the NH mixed-use commercial facility, and support facilities for Seoul Digital Bio City (S-DBC), building out the short supply of tourism infrastructure in the northeast.
It will develop a variety of tour routes, including a "culture and arts themed street" linking Chang-dong Station–Seoul Arena–Jungnangcheon, and will create a K-pop plaza in front of the Chang-dong Station integrated transfer center to enhance the city's image. The alleyway commercial district created on the south side of Chang-dong Station will be transformed into a "K-food specialized street."
It also plans to support shopping and consumption activities such as goods, K-fashion, and K-beauty in collaboration with the Chang-dong private station so that tourists visiting Chang-dong can experience Korean culture before and after performances at Seoul Arena. A K-food market will open on the NongHyup Hanaro Mart site.
On underused sites and aging commercial areas near Chang-dong Station, the city will apply bold incentives with a maximum floor area ratio of 1,300% to introduce commercial, tourist lodging, and corporations' office space.
It will also support culture and entertainment corporations. The popular music support facility to be created at Seoul Arena will be operated directly by the public sector to support the production and distribution of music content by corporations with high growth potential, such as small and midsize agencies. It will also provide move-in space for startups at the startup space "Chang-dong Aourne" and the cultural industry complex "Seedcube Chang-dong."
A total budget of 2.7 trillion won will be invested in creating K-entertainment town, Chang-dong. Through last year, 2 trillion won in private and public capital had been invested, and starting this year, 700 billion won will be newly invested.