Concert Live Screenings Enhanced with Merchandise and VR
A New Market Where Fandom, Entertainment Agencies, and Theaters Converge
Instead of popcorn, audiences hold light sticks and chant in unison loud enough to shake the theater. K-pop concert live films are transferring the heat of the stage onto the screen, transforming movie theaters into a new kind of concert venue.
On May 31, movie theaters were awash in purple. The final show of BTS member Jhope's first solo world tour, "j-hope Tour HOPE ON THE STAGE in JAPAN," took place in Osaka, Japan, and was broadcast live in 28 theaters across Korea, including Lotte Cinema Hongdae, Gimpo Airport, and Busan Main Branch. The performances of his new songs "Mona Lisa" and "Sweet Dreams" were screened as live viewing events in Gwang-eum Cinema, a venue specializing in audio.
On June 11, the group Infinite's 15th anniversary concert live film, "Infinite 15th Anniversary Concert Limited Edition The Movie," will premiere in CGV theaters nationwide. The film captures the concert held in December 2024 at the KSPO DOME (formerly Gymnastics Arena) in Olympic Park, Seoul. It features performances such as "The Chaser," a song with Korean elements, "AIR," unveiled for the first time at fans' request, and solo stages meticulously prepared by the members.
On June 18, actor Cha Eunwoo's interactive virtual reality (VR) concert, "Cha Eunwoo VR Concert: Memories," will be shown at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall and Yeonnam. This audience-participation content allows viewers to select clues?such as nostalgic items, photos, and locations?that determine the next scene, enabling them to shape the story's progression and ending together. The running time is just over 58 minutes.
Starting July 10, "HYBE CINE FEST in ASIA" will be held in about 350 theaters across 10 Asian countries, including Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan. Five types of content will be screened, including concert live films by BTS, Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together, and Enhypen, as well as "Sing-Along" karaoke videos for theaters, which re-edit each group's music videos. The concert live films, originally released on DVD, have been produced for theatrical screening, and this marks their first screening in Asia. At "special location" theaters in some countries, there will also be experience events such as merchandise sales and photo zones.
K-pop concert live films have become an established viewing culture, providing comfort to fans who cannot attend the concerts in person. Even those who went to the concerts often book tickets to relive the emotion of the stage. Theaters fill empty time slots caused by a shortage of new releases and declining audiences with these live screenings, creating a new revenue stream. Entertainment agencies reach more fans beyond the physical limits of concert venues, and in addition to selling merchandise and content, they are securing additional profits through live film screenings.
Significant effort is also being put into production. Kim Sehwan, head of the XCON team at Lotte Cultureworks, said, "We focused on delivering details that fans might miss at the concert itself through the big screen." A HYBE representative added, "It will be a special occasion where global fans who love K-pop artists gather in theaters to sing and dance together, connecting through K-content."
This synergy between performances, fandom, and theaters is both a way to expand the K-pop market and establish a "new revenue model" for the entertainment industry. An agency representative shared, "The production cost for concert live films is virtually negligible. If needed, it is limited to some narration by the artist. For entertainment companies, it is quite a lucrative business." The representative continued, "K-pop, once confined to the stage, is now evolving to connect with fans through various channels such as screens, merchandise, fan meetings, and VR."
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