'K-pop Father' Lee Soo-man to build $99 mln entertainment-tourism complex in central Vietnam

South Korean producer Lee Soo-man, known as the “Father of K-pop,” plans to invest nearly VND2.6 trillion ($98.62 million) in a cultural, sports, recreation, commercial and tourism complex in Gia Lai province through Blooming Sky Co., Ltd.

Local authorities on Friday approved Blooming Sky, where Lee is co-chairman, as the project investor.

The complex will span more than 308 hectares in Cat Tien commune of the former Binh Dinh province.

The south-central coastal province of Binh Dinh was merged with the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai in July to form the new Gia Lai, which borders Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, Cambodia, and the East Sea.

The project will feature a new golf course along with facilities for its management, operation, and related lodging and services for golfers.

It also includes a three-star-plus hotel, other accommodation facilities, a marina, tourism and commercial service buildings, and supporting technical infrastructure for the entire area.

Blooming Sky plans to develop and begin trial operations of Zone 1, including initial components and basic service facilities, between 2027 and 2028. Zone 2 is slated for construction and commercial operation from 2028 to 2030.

Lee is the founder of SM Entertainment, a South Korean record label and entertainment agency, and also a pioneer of the “Korean Wave” across Asia and the world.

At the Friday meeting with local authorities, he noted that the global entertainment industry, particularly the music festival industry, is booming and generating substantial economic value.

This represents a strong economic driver, contributing to promoting national image through tourism, entertainment, services, and related industries, he said.

With the rising demand for cultural and entertainment experiences, Vietnam is facing significant opportunities to develop a professional, large-scale music festival industry, Lee observed.

Therefore, Blooming Sky’s project goes beyond building a single event, aiming instead to establish a comprehensive cultural, entertainment, and festival ecosystem.

At the same time, it is set to position Gia Lai as a world-class “World Festival Destination,” capable of hosting international music festivals in line with global trends, as well as large-scale concerts and sporting events that can attract tens of thousands of attendees, Lee said.

He added that the project is expected to bolster tourism, accommodation, F&B and local services, while drawing service providers, encouraging the establishment of hundreds of new businesses, and generating thousands of jobs.

Pham Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Gia Lai People’s Committee, said the complex will be a highly distinctive project. “We have high expectations for this development, which will lay the foundation for the cultural industry in Gia Lai in particular and Vietnam more broadly,” he said.

Blooming Sky co-chairman Jang Jin-hyuk called on Gia Lai authorities to consider offering a reasonable preferential land-lease rate to help the investor accelerate the implementation and complete the project within the committed timeline.

He also urged them to expedite site clearance to ensure the handover of clean land as agreed, saying delays would hinder the execution, raise costs, and undermine efficiency.

Jang suggested the investor be allowed to begin construction in areas that require no clearance, involve no disputes, and face no legal hurdles, saying this would help the project take shape sooner, cut waiting time, and keep the overall schedule on track.

For his part, the province’s Party chief Thai Dai Ngoc ordered the immediate establishment of a task force to support the project, assigning a provincial vice chairperson to directly oversee it.