Going to a concert in Seoul: venues, ticket collection, the subway

The main venues

• KSPO Dome (Olympic Gymnastics Arena): in Olympic Park, hosting a great many idol concerts. Near Olympic Park station (lines 5 and 9).
• Jamsil Arena / Jamsil Olympic Stadium: the Jamsil Sports Complex, Sports Complex station (lines 2 and 9). The stadium hosts the largest shows.
• Gocheok Sky Dome: a roofed baseball stadium in the south-west, Guil station (line 1). Used for large concerts.
• Inspire Arena: in Incheon near the airport, a long way from central Seoul. Plan it as a separate trip.
• KINTEX: in Ilsan to the north, for some large shows and fanmeetings; reachable by train but slow.

Collection: the part that matters most

Unlike Thailand, Korean concerts very often issue tickets at a venue counter on the day, checked against the named buyer’s ID. Your passport is your ID. Without matching ID you do not collect, booking code or not.

Counters open a few hours before the show and the queue can be very long. Arrive early, for this alone, before the entry and goods queues.

If someone else bought your ticket, ask in advance whether the show allows collection by another person and what it requires. This is the deciding question.

Transport: the subway does nearly everything

Seoul’s subway is dense, punctual and signed in English. Buy a T-money card at a convenience store, top it up, and use it for trains and buses. For venues in the city the subway is the default.

After a big show at Olympic Park or Jamsil the nearest station is overwhelmed. Walking to the next one is usually faster. Trains run until around midnight; check the last train for a late finish.

Inspire Arena in Incheon is the exception: far, dependent on cars or the airport line, and hard to leave late. Many people stay nearby.

Entry requirements

Holders of ordinary Vietnamese passports need a visa for Korea. The K-ETA electronic authorisation is only for visa-exempt nationalities, and Vietnam is not one (k-eta.go.kr). Apply early: it takes longer than Thailand or Malaysia.

Do not book non-refundable flights before you hold both the concert ticket and the entry paperwork.

On the day

• Official goods often sell from the morning with hours-long queues; many shows offer online pre-orders to shorten them.
• Official lightsticks are often checked at the gate for synchronised effects; unofficial ones may not be allowed.
• Winter queues outdoors are bitterly cold; summer is hot and humid. Check the forecast.
• Screenshot the booking code; charge your phone.