Mayor Lee Donghwan: "Goyang-Con Drove the City... We Will Make Goyang a City Where People Eagerly Await the Next Concert"

Annual Concert Revenue Surpasses 10.9 Billion Won, 700,000 Spectators Achieved
Cumulative Audience Reaches 850,000... New Fiscal Revenue Generated from Concert Infrastructure
G-Dragon, Coldplay, Oasis, and Travis Scott Gather in Goyang
Local Business Sales Up 58.1%... 'Festanomics' Becomes Reality for the City Economy

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) is drawing attention by presenting a new successful model of 'Festanomics,' an initiative to drive the city’s economy by attracting large-scale concerts. At the center of this is 'Goyang-Con,' a term that has naturally emerged among fans and become a proper noun in its own right.

Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, is announcing the 'Festanomics' included in the five-year G-Nomics plan during the third anniversary press conference of the 8th local government. Provided by Goyang Special City

According to Goyang Special City on the 17th, a total of 18 large-scale concerts were held at Goyang Sports Complex this year alone. The genres were diverse, ranging from K-pop to rock and hip-hop. As a result, about 700,000 spectators attended this year, and with the recent Oasis and Travis Scott concerts, annual concert revenue surpassed 10.9 billion won. Since last year, the cumulative number of spectators has reached 850,000, and total revenue has amounted to 12.5 billion won.

In addition, the 'KINTEX 3rd Exhibition Hall,' which will be a key driver for attracting mega international events, the 'K-Culture Valley Arena,' which will resume construction in May next year, and the 'Novotel Ambassador KINTEX,' which will support stay-type tourism, are all interconnected. As a result, Goyang is evolving from merely being a 'city that hosts concerts' to becoming a 'global hub for large-scale performances.'

G-Dragon concert venue. Provided by Coupang Play

From K-pop Icons to Rock Stars... Proven as a 'Global Concert Hub' Across All Genres

This year, Goyang City hosted a variety of mega-scale concerts spanning multiple genres. The lineup was so unique that it is hard to find similar cases domestically.

It all began with G-Dragon. In March this year, Goyang Sports Complex kicked off the year with G-Dragon’s solo tour, held for the first time in eight years. In April, Coldplay took the stage, drawing the attention of the global music industry by attracting a record-breaking six shows and approximately 320,000 spectators-the most in Korean concert history.

In June, BTS members J-Hope and Jin each held their first solo concerts and fan meetings after completing their military service. In July, BLACKPINK, which boasts the highest proportion of overseas fans among K-pop acts, performed, and in August, DAY6 celebrated their 10th anniversary with a concert.

Last month, Oasis, reunited after 15 years, chose Goyang as the official stop for their Korea tour, creating a huge buzz. Shortly after, Travis Scott held his first solo concert in Korea at Goyang Sports Complex, firmly establishing the venue as a 'large-scale, all-genre concert platform.'

Oasis Korea Concert Venue. Provided by Live Nation Korea and Big Brother Recordings

'Goyang-Style Concert Model': Accessibility and Administrative Support as Key Strengths

From mega K-pop concerts to artists in genres like rock and hip-hop, world-renowned stars have chosen Goyang thanks to the city’s structural and operational advantages.

First, outstanding transportation accessibility and venue usability stand out. Goyang Sports Complex is accessible from Incheon Airport in under an hour, and with the opening of the GTX-A KINTEX Station, Seoul Station is just 16 minutes away. The venue is also connected to Daehwa Station on Subway Line 3, making movement efficient for both domestic and international fans. Additionally, since it is not used as a regular league home stadium, its utilization rate is high and facility conversion is flexible-an important factor for global concert promoters planning world tours.

Active administrative involvement also played a significant role. The city established a cooperative system involving more than 30 departments and agencies, including advance safety inspections and coordination with police, fire, medical, transportation, and environmental services. The city also enhanced its response system for noise and inconvenience complaints around the venue, providing a comprehensive support package.

Thorough advance preparation was another pillar of success. Since 2023, the city has pursued its goal of becoming a 'concert hub city' by consulting with the industry from the planning stage. As a result, last year, the city signed a business agreement with Live Nation Korea and has actively participated in large-scale concert preparations from the outset.

The city’s detailed administrative support was particularly evident during the Coldplay concert. In line with the philosophy of eco-friendly concert operations, the city supported the use of solar-powered stages, bicycle generators, minimized disposable products, and sustainable merchandise to realize ESG elements. To reduce traffic congestion, shuttle bus routes were operated between GTX-A KINTEX Station and the event venue.

Travis Scott in Korea concert venue. Live Nation Korea, Photo by Khan Jaehun

Evolving into a 'Global Hub for Large-Scale Performances'

The excitement of 'Goyang-Con' is spreading beyond the concert venues and throughout the entire city.

The commercial district around Daehwa Station saw increased demand for accommodation and food and beverage services from concertgoers, resulting in record-high sales. The positive impact on the local economy has been verified: card sales in the Daehwa Station area increased by 58.1%, the number of daily visitors rose by 15%, and total sales also grew in other areas such as Jeongbalsan Station, Juyeop Station, and the KINTEX district.

Moreover, the city’s tourism infrastructure-including Ilsan Lake Park, Haengju Fortress, and large-scale exhibitions and fairs at KINTEX-has naturally linked with the concert scene, increasing the time visitors spend in the city. Cultural events such as the Goyang International Flower Festival, Haengju Cultural Festival, and Lake Arts Festival, as well as performances at Aramnuri and Eoullimnuri, have enriched the city’s cultural foundation, giving substance to the idea that 'the entire city is a concert hall.'

Mayor Lee Donghwan stated, "This year, Goyang’s competitiveness in hosting concerts has earned trust not only domestically but also on the global stage. As the Festanomics trend-where large-scale concerts drive the city’s overall economy-has become clear, we will further develop Goyang from a 'city where concerts are held' to a 'city where people eagerly await the next performance.'

'Enhypen World Tour Walk the Line in Goyang' held at Goyang Sports Complex. Photo by Belif Lab

Now, Goyang Sports Complex has established itself as a venue considered on par with London’s Wembley Stadium, Tokyo Dome, and LA’s SoFi Stadium when global concert promoters plan world tours. By continuously hosting major concerts, the venue has demonstrated technical reliability and capacity that meet international standards. With its accessibility and operational efficiency, Goyang has emerged as a key hub for performances in East Asia.

In 2025, Goyang marked its transformation from a 'city where concerts happen by chance' to a 'city sought out first by artists and fans.' The ripple effects of large-scale concerts on the city’s economy and brand have been confirmed, and as the 'Goyang-style concert model'-which combines administration, operations, and infrastructure-takes hold, Goyang is now establishing itself as the new center of Korea’s concert market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.