PAJU, South Korea — A pristine golf course in Gyeonggi Province is preparing to transform into a massive open-air venue for a global Hallyu festival. On Saturday, May 30, the Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju will play host to the 22nd edition of the Seowon Valley Charity Green Concert.
First launched in 2000, the event has established itself as Korea’s first and only free charity concert held at a golf course. Over more than two decades, the concert has drawn a cumulative audience exceeding 620,000 people.
The festival operates with a strict focus on philanthropy. Admission is completely free, and all proceeds raised through an on-site charity bazaar and food sales are donated directly to help underprivileged neighbors. To date, the accumulated total of donations generated by the event has reached approximately 730 million won.
Organizers have assembled an impressive, multi-generational roster of artists who are all donating their talents to support the cause.
The contemporary K-POP and modern lineup includes:
Evoking nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s, the event will also feature legendary acts such as R.ef, Noise, Kim Changyeol, Park Gun, Park Haki, and Lee Chihyun. International flavor will be added by Thai musician Boom Saharat, while the entire event will be emceed by the popular comedian couple Park Miseon and Lee Bongwon.
The Green Concert is structured as a full-day, family-friendly event. Gates will officially open to the public at 11:30 a.m. Early arrivals can take part in a variety of recreational activities spread across the fairways, including a magic show, air bounce installations, traditional ssireum (Korean wrestling), face painting, and a dance challenge. Jeon Mira’s Tennis Academy will also host a special session on-site.
The event’s programming will transition into music later in the day, starting with an EDM Challenge opening performance at 5:00 p.m., followed by the main concert at 6:00 p.m. Attendees will also have the chance to win high-end raffle prizes, including OLED TVs, airline tickets, and hotel accommodation vouchers.
The logistics of opening a membership-only golf course to tens of thousands of music fans require significant community cooperation, a fact acknowledged by the organizers.
"This year as well, performers from a variety of genres including K-POP, trot, dance, ballad, and folk will take the stage," said a representative from Daebo Group. "We have been able to continue the charity concert for over 26 years thanks to the consideration of our members and golfers who have put up with the inconveniences."
The Seowon Valley Charity Green Concert is hosted jointly by Daebo Group and Seowon Valley Country Club. The large-scale charitable effort receives official support from Paju City, the Paju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Callaway Golf Korea, the Leisure Newspaper, and the Gwangtan Development Council.
