K-pop fans are finding different ways to celebrate their star’s birthday as the ad prices of Seoul and Gangnam metro stations have increased dramatically.
According to sources in the entertainment and marketing industries, the price of a subway ad on Samsung Station has risen from 4.5 million KRW to 7 million KRW. Other stops like Gangnam and Hongik University Stations aren’t in a much different situation than Samsung station. For instance, all large billboards in those three stations now cost about 7 million KRW per ad. Euljiro, Konkuk University, Jamsil, and Gyodae stations rose to nearly 5 million KRW, and others on Wangsimni, Seolleung, and Yeoksam stations now range around 4 million KRW. Currently, the cheapest option to put up a subway ad in Seoul would be Ewha Woman’s University, Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, or Seocho stations that charge about 3 million KRW.
Reports say that the new advertising company raised rates since they had to outbid the incumbent to win the advertising contracts in Seoul subway stations.
In 2019, fans put up a total of 2,166 advertisements to celebrate their star’s birthday or anniversary. BTS had the largest number of subway ads as there were 227 billboards in Seoul metro with their faces, followed by EXO (165) and Wanna One (159). Among girl groups, IZ*ONE had a total of 40 advertisements gracing the billboards at Seoul metro stations.
Source (1)
