Symphotech Production Management for HallyuPopFest
TEG Europe brought HallyuPopFest to London’s Wembley Arena for its first European show, entrusting Symphotech to manage the incoming production, venue, and artist liaison.
Our Director Simon Barrington took the helm for this fast-moving K-Pop spectacular, with high-quality audio-visual production, and a generous amount of special effects, delivering a distinctly different live experience for fans.
Symphotech managed the production for all elements of HallyuPopFest and HallyuTown, liaising with the Korean producers, HAH Entertainment, MBC (Korean national broadcaster), Wembley Arena, Brent Council licensing authority and Wembley Park landlords, Quintain.
We completed the production set up two days ahead of the show, ready for all 14 artists doing full rehearsals of their sets. The two ‘showdays’ included a VIP outdoor ‘red carpet’ arrival, for 1,400 fans. This was the first time that The Wembley Arena Square has been used for live performance, which we took the lead on health and safety and site use, in discussions with the Wembley Park landlords, Quintain.
VIP ticket-holders then moved into a ‘meet & greet’ with one of the seven artists, decided by ballot (held earlier at the adjacent HallyuTown site). All ticket holders then joined for the evening showcase, featuring up-and-coming artists before the main show. This was a continuous concert featuring seven acts per day, linking the slickly choreographed sets, to give a three-hour show, with tightly co-ordinated video, pyro and special effects, culminating with all artists on stage for one final wave of fan adulation, amidst more pyro and special effects
In addition, HallyuTown, located 500metres from the venue in its own marquee and outdoor space, was a Korean Government funded economic/cultural experience, to promote business links with around 30 Korean SME’s, which included food, beauty and lifestyle products.
Alex Nash, TEG Europe’s Promoter Rep and Operations Manager for HallyuPopFest said:
“The appetite from the fans for bringing K Pop to the UK was instantly apparent, we had 20,000 plus people register interest for tickets within 24 hours of announcing the dates.
“Without bringing in Symphotech we would not have been able to deliver this show, especially given how detailed the Koreans are, with what is a very technically advanced production.”
Simon Barrington brought three decades experience working in event production, which included producing shows at Wembley Arena. This was a great asset bringing in such a culturally different, large production into the venue. Will Hodgson, Symphotech Managing Director, focused on the health & safety aspects of the red-carpet element and supported Simon on site through-out the weekend.
Simon specified the UK suppliers, he explains: “In-line with the tech spec from HAH Entertainments, I gave them the preferred options of commonly available equipment and they refined their design to suit, and specified very fine details back to me, all very efficiently.
“Following a tender process, appointments were made on a balance of cost, quality of service and trusted relationships."
A full article is featured in TPi Magazine Sept-Oct 2022 issue (p16-19)