The Mohegan INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, located an hour from Seoul on Yeongjong Island at Incheon International Airport, is South Korea’s premier entertainment destination, featuring a five-star hotel, gaming facilities, an indoor water park, conference spaces, and an immersive “digital entertainment street” offering shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Mohegan INSPIRE aims to attract 3.5 million visitors annually, tapping into the global explosion of K-pop and K-culture. Central to this ambitious plan is the 15,000-seat Inspire Arena, which features a state-of-the-art Meyer Sound system.
INSPIRE Arena is built for a wide array of entertainment, from concerts to e-sports tournaments. From the outset, offering turnkey top-of-the-line AV technologies, anchored by world-class sound, was the top priority. “We have a sound system, a lighting system, and a rigging system,” explains Kevin Reilly, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment’s Corporate Director of Entertainment Technical Operations. “We designed it so a Western act can show up basically with backline and I have sound and lights and video and a stage and barricade all here.”
Reilly, a 27-year Mohegan veteran, says that this rider-friendly approach mirrors that at the organization’s flagship Mohegan Sun resort in Connecticut, which features a Meyer Sound Lyon and Leopard system. “For all of the shows that we’ve done at Mohegan Sun, we don’t hear ‘no, I don’t want to use your Lyon/Leopard rig,’” he laughs.
INSPIRE Arena’s Meyer Sound concert PA includes 50 Panther large-format linear line array loudspeakers, six Leopard compact linear line array loudspeakers, 32 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements, and 32 MJF high-power stage monitors. Meyer Sound Leopard compact linear line array loudspeakers serve as front fills. The system offers Milan capabilities and is managed by a Galileo Galaxy Network Platform.
A powerful Meyer Sound announcement PA system, featuring 109 LINA very compact linear line array loudspeakers and six 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements, adds versatile sound reinforcement support. “We tuned the Meyer PA for the main concert PA, and they tuned the announcement PA for sports,” says Reilly. “I told the Meyer team, ‘I want to do comedy, and I need to tie these together. Can you help me make that happen?’ So, I essentially have three separate PAs: the concert PA, the sports PA, and a full concert and delay stack system. You have all the tools here to do what you came to do.”
Meyer Sound systems were supplied and installed by Ingang Audio of Seoul, with support from Andrew Poh, Meyer Sound’s Technical Sales Support, Asia; and Charlie Albin, Technical Support Specialist, UK.
“INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, as the name suggests, is a multifaceted entertainment venue where various forms of entertainment are possible,” explains Ingang Audio Senior Director Ilwhan Park. “It was crucial to achieve high-quality sound that customers can consistently experience from any space.”
Meyer Sound systems support venues throughout the Inspire complex, with a Leopard compact linear line array loudspeaker system at the pedestrian mall’s performance stage, Leopard and 900-LFC low-frequency control elements in the main ballroom, and LINA very compact linear line array loudspeakers and ULTRA-X40 compact loudspeakers throughout the Splash Bay water park.
“With Meyer Sound speakers installed throughout the INSPIRE Resort, clear and high-quality sound can be experienced in any space, including the arena, the ballroom for events and conferences, Splash Bay, Aurora Bar, and Aurora Street,” says Park. “Furthermore, by installing the same brand in each space, convenience in overall sound system operation and after-sales service were also anticipated.”
The arena soft-opened in December with the 2023 Melon Music Awards show, which was presented in the round using supplemental speakers provided by Sound Alliance Korea.
“I had the opportunity to attend the first main event at INSPIRE Arena, the 2023 Melon Music Awards,” says Park. “The sound experienced throughout the event, utilizing Meyer Sound Panther, was truly impressive. This was not just my personal impression, but the innovative sound system was widely recognized by the audience and media covering the event.”
Other inaugural events included shows by K-pop stars Taemin, TVXQ, and AKMU. The grand opening was on March 5, followed by performances by the Inspire Salute, featuring iconic K-pop artists PSY and Taeyang; a concert by K-pop star Epik High; and the WTT international table tennis championship.
“Inspire Arena is truly the venue of the future,” says Scott Gledhill, Meyer Sound’s Director of International Sales. “It’s optimal for live entertainment, and for the K-pop market. The project’s success is a testament not only to Meyer Sound’s commitment to delivering unparalleled sonic experiences but to Kevin Reilly’s visionary approach and the standards he sets for leading the way in entertainment venues worldwide.”
