Pop phenomenon from South Korea conquers the Stadthalle
In the venerable "Home of Rock'n-Roll", the pulse of the times is beating: South Korean singer, dancer and actor Lee Taemin performed at Stadthalle Offenbach in early March 2025. The member of the K-pop group Shinee is bringing his first solo world tour to just six European cities - and the concert on Waldstrasse was completely sold out in just a few minutes.
"We are proud that Taemin is coming to our municipal venue," says Birgit von Hellborn, Managing Director of Capitol and Stadthalle. His other stops on the continent are Helsinki, London, Tilburg, Paris, Brussels and Manchester: "We are in prestigious company here." The pop phenomenon from South Korea is exemplary for the varied program in the Stadthalle. "Whether rock or rap, folklore or folk metal, Balkan hits or mantra singing: We also cover the entire musical spectrum."
Distinct fan culture
The 2024/25 world tour called "Ephemeral Gaze" will take Taemin to 28 cities in Asia, America and Europe until the end of April. The 4,000 or so fans who made the pilgrimage to Offenbach from all over Germany and neighboring countries at the beginning of March were also hoping for his "ephemeral gaze" and had been eagerly awaiting admission in front of the Stadthalle since 9 am. The Stadthalle team experienced the particularly strong K-pop fan culture back in February 2024 when South Korean group Dreamcatcher performed: die-hard fans camped out in front of the Stadthalle to get the coveted seats in the front rows at the entrance. The cheering and screaming of the crowd during the performance was almost reminiscent of "Beatlemania" around 60 years ago. The so-called Meet & Greet package, which the organizers sell and organize, is also typical of K-Pop, reports Birgit von Hellborn: "Anyone who buys this gets to experience the stars behind the scenes and is presented with a goodbye gift bag."
K-pop developed in Seoul in the early 1990s and first became known worldwide in 2012 with the hit "Gangnam Style". The bands sing in Korean or English and have already recorded hits with global stars such as Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez. Talent agencies in South Korea are already signing teenagers and training them professionally: Taemin, for example, joined the boy group Shinee in 2008 as a 15-year-old. He is now one of the few solo performers in the industry - and tickets for his performance in Offenbach were traded on eBay for several hundred euros. Those who had the coveted tickets were in for a treat: fans will probably never get as close to the world star as they did in the comparatively intimate setting of the Stadthalle.
Crowds create added value
The event makes Offenbach known to new target groups (even if the tour poster says "Frankfurt" above the location). The city also benefits from the crowds at such nationally acclaimed concerts in the Stadthalle in terms of added value. Fans who travel from all over Germany and neighboring countries bring money into the local economy: they eat in restaurants, stay overnight in hotels and perhaps buy a few souvenirs - all of which ensures that local businesses and service providers benefit. "As we are located in the middle of Germany and are relatively easy to reach, artists who only give a few concerts nationwide often book with us," says Birgit von Hellborn. This was recently the case with singer Lepa Brena: due to the high demand from all German-speaking countries, the Balkan legend gave two concerts in the Stadthalle on February 14 and 15.
