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Focus · Written by Kwon YongMin Photographed by Studio Kenn
Birthplace of K-Pop
Gangnam
Of the nearly seven million foreign tourists who visited Korea in spring 2019,
37% visited the Seoul district of Gangnam, the birthplace and hub of K-pop.
Literally meaning ¡°south of the river¡± in Korean, Gangnam first gained global fame through Psy¡¯s megahit ¡°Gangnam Style.¡±
The global boom in Hallyu and other Korean-related content promises to propel the area¡¯s fame and reputation to new heights.
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An increasing number of foreign Hallyu fans are flocking to Gangnam, the birthplace and hub of K-pop, to see and keep up with the latest trends in the music genre. The Seoul district has created experiential spaces with artists to provide fans with unique experiences in the K-pop craze.
SMTOWN at coexartium in Seoul is a cultural complex for K-pop and Hallyu. Comprising five distinct venues, SM Town never lets its visitors get bored. The complex is closely linked to artists under SM Entertainment, the country¡¯s largest entertainment agency.
A variety of exhibits, experiential activities and goods are available between the second and fifth floors. The lifestyle store on the second floor has artist-related goods on display. Selling more than souvenirs, this store offers goods ranging from everyday items like bags and clothing to products personally worn by artists and limited-edition products made in collaboration with brands. The SM Museum on the third floor traces the backgrounds of K-pop artists and the processes of their growth. A yearly graph chronicles the artists¡¯ development at just one glance, from their debuts to album production. Here, behind-the-scenes stories from concerts unavailable elsewhere can be heard. Notably, the clothing personally worn by group members are exhibited at spaces themed according to album concepts. The SM Café on the fourth floor is not a merely for sitting back and relaxing but has chairs painted by K-pop artists. It also sells desserts that also resemble the artists¡¯ personalities. Traces of handwritten autographs by K-pop acts are everywhere, on both the tables and chairs. Finally, the SM Theater on the fifth floor has a hologram hall and a musical stage. The sense of realism is raised to another level with the latest video and audio facilities, including a huge high-definition screen and stereophonic sound equipment. SM Town¡¯s website has information on what films are being screened. The theater has a multitude of functions from hosting exhibitions and performances to giving visitors a place to rest and shop to satisfy any fan¡¯s expectations.
SMTOWN at coexartium hosts exhibitions of artists¡¯ clothes and other works.
New Path for K-Pop
According to a Statistics Korea survey in 2017, 16.6% of people outside of Korea thought of K-pop when thinking of the country. Attesting to the phenomenal rise of Korean content worldwide, 82.7% of the respondents also said their interest in Hallyu will continue.
K-Star Road is in and around the Seoul district of Apgujeong, where large entertainment companies are based. The road is divided into four zones, A through D. Zone A stretches from Dosan Park Intersection to Hakdong Intersection; Zone B starts from Hakdong Intersection and ends at Cheongdam Intersection; Zone C is between Cheongdam Intersection and the Yeongdong Bridge South Intersection; and Zone D unfolds from Dosan Park Intersection to Sinsa Station Intersection, and also includes Sinsadong Garosu-gil, a popular hotspot in Seoul.
K-Star Road is a multifaceted tourist attraction. Numerous exhibits of dolls resembling K-pop artists are everywhere and high-end stores selling luxury goods are lined up along the road. Furthermore, the guide maps posted on the road list popular hangout spots frequented by entertainers along with roughly drawn maps.
SMTOWN at coexartium sells a host of products related to SM Town artists.
House of BTS
After leaving Exit 11 of Gangnam Station and walking along an alley, one can see an all-pink building known as House of BTS, a pop-up store. After stepping through the house-shaped entry gate, a row of staff dressed in pink coats greet visitors by saying, ¡°Welcome to mi casa.¡±
The term ¡°mi casa,¡± meaning ¡°my home¡± in Spanish, comes from the boy band¡¯s hit ¡°Home.¡± The interior features decorations related to BTS ranging from a music video set to numerous props in every corner of the building, with pink symbolizing the group¡¯s song.
House of BTS is an exhibition space themed with the group¡¯s hits and music videos, allowing fans to experience their beloved content in person. The main room is on the first basement floor, booths to order and receive goods on the first floor and hands-on showrooms on the second and third floors.
Supersized posters of K-pop stars are available here.
Upon entering the main showroom on the first floor, flower-shaped neon lights on the high ceiling catch the eye. All kinds of content, including big graphic displays shaped like BTS logos and screens featuring the group¡¯s hits, are strategically placed around the space. Stuff from the ¡°Love Yourself: Speak Yourself¡± tour was installed early this year and the ¡°City Signature¡± was displayed at pop-up stores in North America and Europe at House of BTS. The display booths are decorated with objects reflecting the cultural aspects and foods enjoyed by BTS in Seoul, those that tell a story, and buildings that represent the city.
The interactive showrooms on the second and third floors are themed with views of the world and characters of BTS¡¯s premier music videos. The themed zone ¡°In the Mood for Love¡± expresses BTS¡¯s view of the world, in which the bus stop, where the seven boys in the story ¡°Songju Jeil Middle and High School¡± first meet and serves as their hiding place, was reestablished as a photo zone. In addition, attention to detail on every factor truly stands out with the floor piano that appeared in the music video for ¡°Boy with Luv.¡± The piano allows audiences to play music against the background of neon decorations. Fans can thus feel part of BTS at these group-themed spaces.
Passersby place their hands on a celebrity¡¯s handprint.
The temporary BTS pop-up store in Seoul¡¯s Gangnam District attracts a long line of fans from early morning.
Visitors snap photographs with character sculptures at the BTS pop-up store.K-Pop in Daily Life
¡°G-STAR King,¡± ¡°Dance & Singer King¡± and ¡°Street Busking¡± are among the events the district holds. ¡°G-STAR King¡± is held at COEX Millennium Plaza at 7 p.m. every Friday and ¡°Dance & Singer King¡± opens at Gangnam Square of Gangnam Station at 4:30 p.m. every Saturday. ¡°Street Busking¡± opens at Apgujeong Rodeo Station at 7 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
365-Day FUN & PAN stages performances that tear down barriers between the audience and performers, fostering in-person communication between them. Around the stage, people can fill out applications on the spot to participate in competitions or events. For example, a quiz show offers the chance to win gifts and giveaways.
Through the international hit ¡°Gangnam Style¡± by Psy, Gangnam is perhaps the most famous spot in Korea abroad and the birthplace and hub of K-pop. By utilizing venues and activities that promote the genre, K-pop can expect to expand its global influence in both reach and duration.
Gangnam Square features an array of Korean content in a posh area of Seoul.
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