This article was written on a theme related to K-POP. We would like to tell you about places you must visit in Korea.
1. The beginning of K-Pop, Seoul
Seoul is the birthplace of K-Pop, and is a city where various traces of K-Pop can be found. Visit the offices of famous music companies such as SM, YG, and JYP. There you will find traces of your beloved artist. Also, take a walk along Gangnam K-Star Road. You can see statues of several K-Pop groups.
- SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment is one of Korea's leading entertainment companies, founded in 1989 by CEO Lee Soo-man. SM stands for 'Star Museum' and means a place to collect stars. SM has produced world-famous K-pop groups such as TVXQ, Girls' Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, and NCT. SM targeted the global market by utilizing the strategy of ‘Culture Technology (CT: Culture Technology)’.
- YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment is a leading Korean entertainment company founded by Yang Hyun-suk. YG is a name created from the initials of 'Yang Goon' and 'Yang Hyun Suk'. YG has produced artists such as BIGBANG, 2NE1, WINNER, iKON, and BLACKPINK, and is known for nurturing artists with strong musical originality and personality. Additionally, YG operates a fashion and lifestyle brand and is expanding into various business areas.
- JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment is a leading Korean entertainment company founded by Jinyoung Park in 1997. JYP is a name created from Park Jin-young's initials. JYP produced Wonder Girls, 2PM, 2NE1, Miss A, GOT7, Twice, ITZY, etc. JYP is building a global network and expanding various business areas through the 'JYP 2.0' strategy. JYP is known to be committed to social contribution activities.
- K-Star Road Gangnam
K-Star Road is known as a mecca for K-pop fans. It is located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and is often visited by Korean Wave stars and is home to famous entertainment companies. The biggest feature of K-Star Road is the mascot statues of K-pop idol groups called ‘GangnamDol’ placed on both sides of the road. These statues represent the unique characters of each idol group, and are popular photo spots for fans. Gangnam K-Star Road is home to representative entertainment companies such as SM, JYP, FNC, and Cube, making it a must-visit attraction for fans looking for traces of K-pop stars. Additionally, there are cafes and restaurants run by K-pop stars in this area, giving fans a chance to feel their traces for themselves.
2. Busan, hometown of K-Pop stars
Busan is known as the hometown of many K-Pop stars. Many stars, including BTS' Jungkook and WANNA ONE's Kang Daniel, were born here. Among them, we will introduce some representative artists.
- BTS' Jungkook
Jungkook is a K-POP star born and raised in Busan. He studied at Busan Arts High School and made his hometown, Busan, known by working as the main vocalist of the globally popular group BTS.
- Seo Eunkwang of BTOB
Eunkwang Seo is a Caesar born and raised in Busan. He served as the leader and main vocalist of BTOB. In addition to his group activities, he has shown versatility through his acting activities.
- Yuju of GFRIEND
Yuju is an artist born and raised in Busan, and she served as the main vocalist for the girl group GFRIEND. Her emotional vocals were loved by many people.
- Kang Daniel
Kang Daniel is a singer and actor, and his singing career began with his performance in ‘Produce 101 Season 2’. In this program, he won first place thanks to the love of the public, and through this he became a member of the project group WANNA ONE. In WANNA ONE, Kang Daniel served as the main dancer and lead vocalist, and was loved by fans for his charming performances and cheerful personality.
In addition, several K-POP stars were born in Busan, and many new artists are preparing to debut in Busan. In that sense, Busan can be said to be one of the important birthplaces of K-POP.
3. K-Pop concerts and festivals
K-POT CONCERT & FESTIVAL K-POP concerts and festivals are representative venues where fans from around the world can meet Korea's popular K-POP stars. They are often held in large stadiums or concert halls and feature live performances by artists and a variety of events.
- K-POP concert
Most K-POP artists regularly hold solo concerts. These concerts are a place to promote their latest albums and provide an opportunity for fans and artists to meet and connect in person. Representative examples include BTS' 'LOVE YOURSELF' tour and EXO's 'EXO PLANET' concert.
- K-POP Festival
K-POP Festival is an event where several K-POP artists gather in one place to perform. These festivals usually have a specific theme or purpose, and are loved because they allow you to see performances by K-POP artists of various genres at once. Representative K-POP festivals include ‘Dream Concert’, ‘Seoul Music Awards’, and ‘Busan One Asia Festival (BOF)’.
- Music Awards Ceremony
Music awards ceremonies honoring the growth of K-POP can also be seen as a type of K-POP concert and festival. At award ceremonies such as the 'Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA)', 'Melon Music Awards (MMA)', and 'Golden Disk Awards', artists who have shown outstanding achievements in the K-POP industry throughout the year are awarded, and the winners' live performances are presented. You can see it.
In this way, K-POP concerts and festivals provide a special experience where you can see the latest songs and performances of artists, communicate directly with them and fans, and meet various genres and artists of K-POP in one place.
4. K-Pop experience program
The K-POP Experience Program provides people interested in K-POP with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of and experience Korean music culture first-hand. Below we will introduce some representative K-POP experience programs.
- K-POP dance class
This is a class to learn the dance of K-POP artists. Under the guidance of a professional dance trainer, you can learn and practice the choreography seen in real K-POP music videos. Some programs also offer the opportunity to film your own music video using the choreography you have learned.
- K-POP vocal training
This is a class where you can improve your vocal skills by singing the songs of K-POP singers. You can learn vocal techniques, song interpretation, live performance techniques, etc. under the guidance of a professional vocal coach.
- K-POP idol makeup & styling
This is a class to learn the makeup and styling of K-POP idols. You can experience idols' makeup techniques and fashion styling first-hand under the guidance of professional makeup artists and stylists.
- K-POP star visit tour
This is a tour that directly visits places frequently visited by K-POP stars or their agencies. You can experience the traces of K-POP stars and get a glimpse into their daily lives. Through these various K-POP experience programs, fans can gain a deeper understanding of the music and style of their favorite K-POP stars and have the opportunity to get closer to their lives and culture.
Visit Korea, the mecca of K-Pop, and experience their music and culture. From Seoul to Busan, find traces of K-Pop. Participate in K-Pop concerts and festivals, and experience K-Pop yourself through K-Pop experience programs. A K-Pop trip in Korea will give you unforgettable memories.
This concludes the section “The home of K-Pop, must-visit sacred places in Korea.”