K-pop artists transform Seoul landmarks into public stages

K-pop content is expanding into Seoul's public spaces, with an NCT exhibition at Seokchon Lake attracting approximately 4,547,000 visitors. These urban events, including performances at Jamsu Bridge and promotions at DDP, allow those without concert tickets to experience artist content in locations like parks and bridges.

This year, K-POP content has integrated into the cityscape of Seoul. In March, the Gwanghwamun area was dyed purple, and in May, lemon-colored lights spread across the Han River. Moving beyond meeting fans inside concert halls, there has been a continuous trend of utilizing spaces frequented by citizens and tourists—such as bridges, parks, lakes, and buildings—as stages.

Events like SEVENTEEN's performance at Jamsu Bridge, BIGBANG's Han River event, NCT's exhibition at Seokchon Lake, and IVE's collaboration with DDP are urban K-POP events that combine location with content. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation handle the use of public spaces and consultations with relevant agencies, while entertainment companies manage the content, fan engagement programs, and global promotion. Depending on the event, corporations and local district offices also participate. This method of providing K-POP content in spaces accessible to those without tickets is expanding across various landmarks in Seoul.

Urban stages spanning Jamsu Bridge, Han River, and Seokchon Lake

The trend of using urban spaces as K-POP venues emerged in earnest with SEVENTEEN's performance at Jamsu Bridge last May. To celebrate their 10th anniversary since debut, SEVENTEEN set up a stage on Jamsu Bridge, the first time a K-POP artist has done so. The bridge, usually used by vehicles, was transformed into a concert venue for one night. This was followed in August last year by a Han River event celebrating BIGBANG's 20th anniversary. Drone shows and fireworks filled the night sky, and the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain was choreographed to BIGBANG's music for a week. The event was held as a pre-fan event ahead of their Goyang world tour and was entirely free of charge.

At Seokchon Lake, NCT met visitors through an exhibition. From September 3 to 27 this year, an "Art Balloon Exhibition celebrating NCT's 10th Brand Launch and collaboration with 2026 Seoul Fashion Week" was held around the east side of Seokchon Lake in Jamsil. The cumulative number of visitors was recorded at approximately 4,547,000, marking the highest number of visitors among domestic and international public art and character exhibitions held at Seokchon Lake in the past. NCT also collaborated with Seoul Fashion Week to showcase outfits worn during their activities over the past 10 years. This year, Seoul Fashion Week expanded its stage beyond DDP to Lotte Town Jamsil for the first time.

IVE brought this trend to DDP. On the 19th, they began their collaboration with DDP by pre-releasing the title track of their new album, "Looks Can Kill." The comeback video, linked to the permanent media art "DDP 365 Light" on the exterior walls of DDP, will be screened until November 30. From October 26, the album release date, special edition videos and a laser show tailored to the new song will be added. At the promotional booth operating until November 1, visitors can see the hero masks actually worn by the members.

Roles of Seoul Metropolitan Government and entertainment agencies in DDP collaboration

IVE's DDP promotion is a joint project conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation. The Seoul Metropolitan Government enables the use of public spaces and supports consultations with relevant agencies. Entertainment companies plan the content, operate fan engagement programs, and handle global promotion. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to develop DDP into a hub for joint K-POP promotions and expand linked programs to ensure visitors flow into nearby commercial areas such as Dongdaemun Fashion Town, Sindang-dong, and Dongmyo.

The "Seoul Light DDP 2026 Autumn" statistics released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government include changes in visitors and surrounding commercial areas. Approximately 700,000 people visited over 11 days, and the staying population in the DDP area during evening hours increased by 39.3% compared to the previous period. Foreign card spending in the nearby commercial area increased by 38.6% compared to the same period last year.

Kim Hyun-woo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Economic Affairs Office, stated, "If we combine the global influence of K-POP with the attractive urban spaces of Seoul, the city itself can become new cultural content and a tourism resource." The Seoul Metropolitan Government presented a plan to connect DDP events with surrounding commercial areas, while Starship Entertainment, the agency for IVE, highlighted the collaboration's characteristic of being a space anyone can visit. Starship Entertainment stated, "As it takes place at DDP, which anyone can freely visit, we expect people to enjoy 'Looks Can Kill' in their daily lives."

K-POP content accessible without a ticket

Unlike concerts or fan meetings, urban landmark events are not conducted in a way that only fans with tickets can enter. DDP, Han River Park, and Seokchon Lake are public places frequented by citizens and tourists. By providing videos, sculptures, exhibitions, and fountain performances in these spaces, people who are not visitors to a concert venue can still experience the artists' music and related content.

There have been cases where promotions starting in Seoul expanded to other cities. aespa held pop-ups in Los Angeles and New York in the United States, as well as Shenzhen in China, alongside events in the Han River area. Subsequently, they expanded their stage to Bangkok, Tokyo, and Taipei. BTS's "THE CITY SEOUL" began with a performance in Gwanghwamyeon and proceeded with programs throughout the city for one month.

BTS's "THE CITY ARIRANG" continued as city-specific events following their world tour schedule. The project started in Seoul and expanded to Las Vegas in May, Busan in June, and London and New York in July. In Las Vegas, 38 local hotels and resorts participated as partners. In London, the London Eye was illuminated in red, the symbolic color of "ARIRANG," and the main hall of Grand Central Terminal in New York was decorated with an "ARIRANG" theme. In Korea, Busan took over the event. According to data from WOWPASS, a payment platform for foreigners, foreign card spending in the Busan area during the performance week increased by 117% compared to the previous week.

Corporate and local government collaboration and the Seoul Arena plan

K-POP events involve not only local governments but also corporations. The BIGBANG Han River event was hosted and live-streamed by Coupang Play, while the Seoul Metropolitan Government supported the large LED screen on the water and the fountain show. At Seokchon Lake, Lotte Department Store installed a sculpture approximately 5m tall modeled after BIGBANG's "Bang Bong" lightstick. The NCT Seokchon Lake exhibition was an event that collaborated with the Songpa District Office to install art balloons. In the collaboration with Seoul Fashion Week, outfits worn by NCT were showcased.

For BTS's "THE CITY SEOUL," partners included Shinsegae, Samsung, and major domestic hotels. The cooperating entities and content varied for each urban event. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation supported the use of public places and agency consultations, while entertainment companies prepared artist content and fan engagement programs. Corporations and local district offices participated in installing exhibits and operating events depending on the occasion. Outside of Seoul, locations such as Las Vegas hotels/resorts, the London landmark, and the New York terminal were utilized as project sites.

Seoul is also preparing dedicated facilities for large-scale K-POP performances. In the first half of next year, the Seoul Arena, a dedicated K-POP performance venue with a capacity of 28,000, is scheduled to open. Gil Gi-yeon, head of the Seoul Tourism Organization, stated at a business briefing earlier this year that the tourism boom in Seoul led by K-POP and K-dramas will not last forever and that the next business must be prepared. As the Seoul Metropolitan Government's plan to expand joint DDP promotions and the opening schedule of the Seoul Arena continue, the current IVE video at DDP will be screened until November 30.

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