Governor Kim Dongyeon: "We Will Make Goyang City a Mecca for K-pop Fans"

Gyeonggi Province Restarts Suspended K-Culture Valley Project
Aiming to Resume Construction by May Next Year
Live Nation Consortium Selected as Preferred Negotiation Candidate

Gyeonggi Province is officially resuming the previously suspended "K-Culture Valley Complex Development Project."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Donggeun is holding the "K-Culture Valley Private Sector Competition Preferred Negotiation Candidate Selection Announcement and Meeting" at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Support Center in Goyang City on the 23rd. Photo by Lee Jonggu

The province has selected a consortium led by Live Nation, the world's largest live entertainment company, as the preferred negotiation candidate, and plans to accelerate the project with the goal of resuming construction by May next year.

On the 23rd, Gyeonggi Province held the "K-Culture Valley Private Sector Competition Preferred Negotiation Candidate Selection Announcement and Meeting" at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Support Center in Goyang City, and officially announced the results of the new private sector competition following the termination of the agreement with CJ LiveCity last year.

Governor Kim Dongyeon stated, "K-pop has taken over the world, but there has not been a dedicated K-pop concert venue in Gyeonggi Province," adding, "I am pleased that today's announcement of the preferred negotiation candidate provides another springboard for progress."

Governor Kim emphasized, "Last July, I promised to resume the arena project and presented three principles: preserving the original design, swift implementation, and securing responsible capital. Our goal is to resume construction by May next year and create an arena that incorporates world-class technology, allowing performances to be held year-round regardless of weather or season, with a capacity of 20,000 to 50,000 people."

He further added, "We will work together to make the arena and Goyang City a must-visit destination for world-renowned artists and K-pop fans alike."

The province has set the vision for this project as "A New Era for the Global Cultural Industry, K-Culture Valley."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Donggeun is holding the "K-Culture Valley Private Sector Competition Preferred Negotiation Candidate Selection Announcement and Meeting" at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Support Center in Goyang City on the 23rd. Photo by Lee Jonggu

The K-Culture Valley Arena will be developed as a concert venue specializing in popular music, with plans to evolve into a tourism city that combines performances, shopping, and accommodation for extended stays.

Earlier this year in April, Gyeonggi Province and Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Development Corporation (GH) held a private sector competition, with a total of four companies submitting letters of intent to participate.

Among them, the Live Nation consortium, a global leader in the live entertainment industry, submitted the final proposal and was selected as the preferred negotiation candidate after evaluation by a panel of external experts.

Live Nation is a global entertainment company that was ranked number one in global ticket sales in 2024 by Pollstar, often referred to as the "Billboard Chart" of the live performance industry.

In Korea, Live Nation has successfully hosted large-scale performances by world-renowned artists at major venues, including Goyang Sports Complex, raising the standard of the domestic live entertainment industry.

Gyeonggi Province and GH plan to begin full-scale negotiations with the Live Nation consortium at the end of this month, aiming to sign an agreement by February next year. Afterward, they will proceed with detailed design and permitting procedures, with the goal of resuming arena construction in May next year.

Kim Donggeun, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, and other attendees are taking a commemorative photo after holding the "Announcement of the Preferred Negotiation Candidate for the K-Culture Valley Private Sector Contest and Meeting" on the 23rd at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Support Center in Goyang City. Photo by Lee Jonggu

Approximately 50 people attended the event, including National Assembly members Kim Seonghoe and Lee Kiheon, Goyang Mayor Lee Donghwan, GH President Kim Yongjin, Live Nation executives, and cultural and performance industry representatives, to celebrate the new beginning for K-Culture Valley.