Jamsil Sports Complex

Constructed for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 19th annual Asian Games, the Jamsil Sports Complex is situated along the banks of the Han River. Designed by architect Kim Swoo Geun, the profile of structures are intended to resemble the curving lines of a Joseon era porcelain vase. All told, the complex is capable of seating upwards of 100,000 spectators.

Opened in 1984, Jamsil hasn’t housed a major international sporting event since the aforementioned Olympics. Today, the facility is home to equestrian events, the Seoul United FC soccer team, and concert events, including Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin, Roger Waters, Michael Jackson, Oasis, Pussycat Dolls, Backstreet Boys, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Tommy Lee, Celine Dion, Nine Inch Nails, and Limp Bizkit, and many others.

The nearby Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which, along with the main complex, is accessible by subway (line 2) and bus, as well as automobile. The LG Twins and Doosan Bears play to crowds of more than 30,000 people.

The combined complex (the foundations of which were begun in the 1970s) houses two swimming centers, a general sports facility, a track and field facility, and an indoor facility designed specifically for
students. The green lawns of the nearby park grounds are a popular setting for weddings and other public and private gatherings.

Though the massive international events predicted by developers and promoters in the early 1980s have failed to materialize, Jamsil is visited by millions of domestic sports enthusiasts yearly.

(Image courtesy of the Korea Tourism Organization: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto)