Pop Stars Rush In: The Weeknd, Charlie Puth, and More Make Extended Asia Tours with Seoul as a Key Stage

Five Major Pop Acts to Perform Consecutively in Korea
Long-Term Tours Now Link Japan and Southeast Asia
Rising Overseas Audiences Drive Expansion of the Asian Concert Market
Shortage of Large-Scale Concert Venues Remains a Challenge in Korea

Charlie Puth. Provided by Live Nation Korea

International pop stars are now designating Korea as a key hub for their Asia tours. Unlike in the past, when Korea was simply added onto Japanese tour dates, the rise of extensive tours covering multiple cities across Southeast Asia is bringing the Korean concert market into the core route of global tours.

According to the concert industry on October 6, five overseas pop acts—LANY, Zara Larsson, The Weeknd, Charlie Puth, and Benson Boone—are taking to the stage in Korea this month. LANY performed on October 3 at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, while Zara Larsson held her first solo concert in Korea on October 4–5 at Myeonghwa Live Hall in Seoul. The Weeknd is scheduled to perform on October 7–8, and Charlie Puth will take the stage on October 11, both at Goyang Sports Complex. Benson Boone will hold his second solo concert in Korea on October 26 at KINTEX.

What stands out is Korea's position within the Asia tours. After performing in Hong Kong, LANY visited Korea, and continues on to Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. The Weeknd likewise began his Asia tour in Japan and Indonesia, and will proceed to Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Charlie Puth and Benson Boone are even launching their Asia schedules in Korea. Charlie Puth will kick off in Goyang, followed by performances in Manila, Yokohama, Taipei, and major cities in China. Benson Boone will start in Goyang and go on to Tokyo and Singapore before heading to Australia.

This shift aligns with a broader trend in which the center of gravity for the global concert market is moving beyond the United States. Last year, the world's largest concert company, Live Nation, saw a record-breaking 159 million concertgoers, up eight million from the previous year. For the first time, more than half of the audience came from outside the United States, with particularly strong growth in Asia.

According to concert magazine Pollstar, the cumulative ticket sales for the world's top 100 tours in the third quarter of this year reached approximately 47.45 million, a 4.9% increase from the same period last year. During the same period, total sales amounted to $6.12 billion (about 8.2 trillion won), exceeding $6 billion for the first time ever.

The expansion of Asia tours also confers cost advantages. Stadium and arena-scale performances require the movement of stage sets, audio-visual equipment, and production staff, leading to high transportation and customs costs. By touring consecutive neighboring markets such as Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries, artists can maximize efficiency by utilizing the same equipment and teams.

Rainy. Provided by Live Nation Korea

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The demand for concerts in the Korean market is also being confirmed. According to Pollstar’s data on Asian venues, Goyang Sports Complex ranked fifth among stadiums, with sales of $21.88 million and 168,811 attendees—following Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium, Tokyo Dome, Taipei Dome, and Kyocera Dome Osaka.

Global events companies are stepping up efforts in the Korean market as well. AEG Presents established its Korean branch this May, appointing Jonathan Lee as its CEO. The company has begun to directly manage not only overseas singers’ concerts in Korea but also Korean artists’ international tours, positioning its Korean operations as a central strategy in its Asia business.

However, infrastructure for concerts remains a challenge. This month, both The Weeknd and Charlie Puth are using Goyang Sports Complex—a soccer stadium—while LANY and Benson Boone are setting up their stages in the KINTEX exhibition halls, rather than dedicated concert venues. Despite the growing demand for global tours, there remains a shortage of large specialized concert halls in Korea.

Dennis Argenzia, President of Global Touring for Live Nation Asia Pacific, remarked, "In the past, we had to persuade artists and their teams to come to Asia, but now the situation is completely different." He added, "In many markets, the challenge isn't lack of demand for artists, but rather the ability to secure quality venues and efficiently connect the region."

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