GroundK ran shuttle operations for the opening shows of the 2025 BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR at Goyang Sports Complex. As the first stop on a 16-city tour, the concerts drew around 5,000 international attendees, with an estimated 10,000-plus visitors once fan-event tourists are included. Our team combined a multilingual online booking system, a 14-hotel package, a shuttle package from Hapjeong, and more than 15 routes managed from a single stop.
Why getting home after 10 p.m. was the hard part
Goyang Sports Complex sits next to the GTX express rail and Seoul Subway Line 3, so reaching the venue from hotels and Seoul hubs was reasonably easy. The return trip was the challenge. After the show ended around 10 p.m., thousands of international attendees needed to travel back to Seoul on public transit all at once.
The crowd surging out right after the concert raised the risk of safety incidents, and the sheer number of people called for a workable transport plan to move everyone home. Reading the limits of the local infrastructure, GroundK moved quickly. The work was delivered as a RIDEUS managed operation, with booking, ticket validation, and settlement handled on T-RiseUp TMS.
A booking system international fans could use with ease
The tour required two services at once: a shuttle package booked through NOL Ticket (Interpark Global) for international attendees heading to the venue, and regional shuttles for fans traveling in from outside the capital. Our team built an online system that let passengers choose their own pickup point and time, from both Seoul hubs and regional cities.
The system supported multiple languages so international attendees could book without friction, and it paired each pickup point with a map and a photo. For paid shuttles, it accepted both domestic and overseas payment, so foreign visitors could check out just as easily as local ones.
Tying 14 hotels together in real time
This concert also ran a hotel-linked product, a departure from the usual model of picking attendees up at downtown transit hubs. NOL Ticket offers a play&stay package that bundles a hotel stay with shuttle service, and it sold for the BLACKPINK shows as well. Managing 14 hotels in real time while running the shuttles stretched the working team, so GroundK joined this product too.
We first surveyed all 14 Seoul hotels twice, checking for problems and shaping the operating plan. The day before the show, we visited again to confirm nothing on site had changed and to finalize safety and operational details. On show days, staff were on site from 8:30 a.m., checking in real time for issues and safety risks before the shuttles ran. Across the two days, the hotel program moved 5,000 attendees smoothly.
The Hapjeong shuttle package and fast QR boarding
We also ran a shuttle package out of Hapjeong Station that paired the shuttle with the concert ticket. Holders booked through a dedicated online system, picking their own departure time, and on show day they boarded quickly and accurately using a QR-coded e-ticket. The system was multilingual, and multilingual staff were on hand at the boarding point at all times to keep international attendees moving.
At least 6 staff were stationed there throughout, handling safety, vehicle coordination, and ticket checks together. Over the two days, the package carried about 2,000 attendees.
Building a shuttle stop where the venue had none
Goyang Sports Complex had no large parking area nearby, leaving nowhere to hold dozens of shuttles. To solve this, we worked steadily with the city of Goyang through the organizer and partner companies, and secured a parcel of idle municipal land. To run the space well, we visited it four times for a close review, drew up plans for an on-site customer service center and safety equipment, and set up that center to field inquiries on event day.
Running 15-plus routes like a terminal
Concert shuttle riders sometimes skip their outbound shuttle to buy merchandise or join pre-show events, which makes a service center for return-shuttle questions essential. Our team set up a customer service center at the Goyang stop and staffed it with multilingual people who could assist domestic and international attendees at the same time. Because the center sat inside the shuttle stop, we planned for safety in advance, keeping at least 5 safety staff on site to manage vehicle entry and guide crowd flow.
What stood out was that more than 15 routes, including regional shuttles, ran at the same time, so organizing the many buses and reducing boarding congestion mattered. Once the show began, our team divided the stop into zones and arranged every shuttle like a terminal, so arriving attendees could quickly spot their route and board with ease. As the concert neared its end, we placed at least 8 staff around the venue so attendees could move to the stop safely and without confusion, leaving the venue and boarding their shuttles in good order.
What it means to travel with K-pop fans
Every year, many international visitors come to Korea to take part in K-pop culture. For them, getting around is more than transport; it is part of the journey that opens and closes a meeting with the artist they love.
GroundK's mobility service, connecting K-pop stars and their global fans. — GroundK
Being part of the audience's journey at these BLACKPINK shows mattered to GroundK. Drawing on the experience built across many concerts and large events, GroundK will keep developing its transport service so organizers can carry out the operating plans they envision. As a dependable companion on the journey, we will take responsibility for the best possible travel experience for fans of every nationality who want to enjoy K-pop culture across borders.