K-pop Fan's Seoul

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! Yul here, and today it's personal, because I'm an idol too. Well, a virtual one! Let's go on a K-pop pilgrimage around Seoul.

First stop: Yongsan. That tall glass tower is the Yongsan Trade Center, the headquarters of HYBE, the company behind BTS. Big Hit moved in here in March 2021 and soon became HYBE. And in 2026, HYBE even opened part of its first-floor lobby as a pop-up space for fans, with reservations through Weverse.

Here's the plot twist. The K-pop map has been running away from Gangnam! JYP left Gangnam back in 2018 for a building in Seongnae-dong, in Gangdong. SM Entertainment, home of NCT and aespa, moved its headquarters to Seongsu, near Seoul Forest, and opened its KWANGYA store in the basement in 2022. And YG? YG never moved away. It has stayed in Hapjeong, in Mapo, since it was founded in 1998.

But the real heart of K-pop is the fans. On an idol's birthday, fans rent whole cafes, cover the walls with photos and hand out cup sleeves with the idol's face. The star usually isn't there, but the love definitely is. Daebak!

Yul's tip! Agency buildings are offices, not tourist attractions. Take photos from outside, don't block the doors, and never wait for or follow artists. Fans who invade idols' privacy are called sasaeng, and real fans don't do that. For HYBE, take Line 4 to Sinyongsan Station, Exit 2, and walk about eight minutes.

Next, let's go shopping for the skincare that makes idols glow. Kaja!