Why BTS, Exo, Twice and other K-pop groups will be spending less time in Seoul’s Gangnam district in future

Many of K-pop’s biggest labels are moving out of Seoul’s Gangnam district, made famous by Psy’s 2012 music video Gangnam Style, as they reorganise and expand

They are moving to larger buildings around the South Korean capital with all-in-one production facilities

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Gangnam district in Seoul has been the home of K-pop for years, but some of the biggest labels are moving out. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 10:15pm, 13 Jan 2021Updated: 2:02am, 14 Jan 2021

By Park Ji-won

Seoul’s Gangnam district has long been home to South Korea’s large entertainment companies, such as SM Entertainment and Big Hit Entertainment, the label of BTS. Many K-pop entertainment companies, some statistics say more than half, are known to have offices near the district’s Apgujeong area. The area was made famous globally by Psy’s hit Gangnam Style in 2012.

Since the introduction of music cable channel Mnet in 1995, recording studios proliferated in the area and high-end hair and make-up salons opened to cater to young performers. By setting up offices in the area, entertainment companies could recruit idol trainees and create all their content nearby.

However, the trend is coming to an end, with entertainment companies moving their facilities to other areas of Seoul, looking for larger spaces for bigger projects amid the expansion of the K-pop industry in recent years.

Also, staying in the area has become less beneficial as more major broadcasters and cable channels such as Mnet and CJ ENM have since moved to Sangam-dong, in the northwest of Seoul.

Along with companies producing more in-house content and releasing it online, entertainment companies have become less bound by location.