SOUTH KOREA: L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive sound technology played a pivotal role in bringing audiences closer to one of South Korea’s most celebrated vocalists as Yim Jae-Beom concluded his performing career with a landmark 40th anniversary farewell concert at Seoul’s KSPO Dome.

Widely regarded as one of South Korea’s greatest singers, Yim’s career has spanned four decades, from his early years as the frontman of the pioneering hard rock band Sinawe to an acclaimed solo career encompassing rock, ballads, R&B, soul and orchestral music. Designed as the closing chapter of his performing career, the concert sought to deliver an intimate musical experience within one of the country’s largest indoor arenas, which accommodates audiences of up to 15,000.

To meet that objective, L-Acoustics Certified Provider Klausys and Hyundae Sound deployed an L-ISA immersive audio system capable of maintaining precise localisation, clarity and emotional connection throughout the expansive venue. The production was developed under the artistic direction of composer and music producer Gi-Deok Park, who wanted audiences in every seating section to experience the same sense of proximity to both the artist and the band.

“The production was never intended to sound exaggerated or overwhelming,” said Doosoo Park, FOH Engineer at Hyundae Sound. “Gi-Deok wanted the audience to feel close to the artist and the band — close enough to hear the smallest details, even Jae-Beom’s breathing. We both agreed very early that L-ISA was the right technology for achieving that level of realism and connection.”

Klausys collaborated closely with Hyundae Sound and the L-Acoustics APAC Applications team throughout the project’s design and implementation, with Senior Application Advisor Alvin Koh supporting system design, preparation and on-site deployment.

“With L-ISA, we were able to reproduce the position, separation and resolution of each audio source much more precisely,” explained Cheol Jang, Head of Application at Klausys. “The result was a far more immersive and detailed listening experience throughout the arena.”

The system was designed around an L-ISA Focus configuration with five frontal Scene arrays comprising a total of 60 K2 loudspeakers to deliver tonal consistency across the audience area. Extension and out-fill coverage was provided by 48 Kara II loudspeakers, while seven A15 Focus enclosures were deployed as spatial front-fill. Low-frequency reinforcement was delivered by two flown clusters of eight KS28 subwoofers each, complemented by four ground-stacked KS28 subwoofers arranged in a cardioid configuration to minimise comb filtering and ensure consistent bass coverage throughout the venue.

“We spent a considerable amount of time optimising the rejection pattern through repeated simulation and on-site verification before finalising the setup,” says Jang. “That process became one of the most memorable technical parts of the project for me.”

Extensive modelling using L-Acoustics Soundvision enabled the team to optimise coverage, sound pressure levels and L-ISA spatial zones while verifying structural constraints and system deployment. According to Jang, repeated simulations and on-site verification were critical in refining the rejection patterns required to maintain a consistent immersive sound field across the arena’s floor and three seating tiers.

The audio system was driven by 18 LA-RAK II AVB touring racks centred around an L-ISA Processor I, supported by a P1 processor and an LC16D audio converter. The LC16D bridged the L-ISA Processor’s MADI outputs to a redundant Milan-AVB network, enabling seamless integration between legacy hardware and the networked audio infrastructure while providing precise clock synchronisation and real-time monitoring via a web interface.

Beyond the audio system itself, the production also integrated immersive sound with visual storytelling. Show producer James Koo synchronised dynamic video content with audio object movement inside the L-ISA Controller, creating a unified audiovisual experience throughout the performance.

The concert marked the first major live production in South Korea to utilise L-ISA technology since the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed at the same venue in 2019. According to the production team, audience response consistently highlighted the enhanced sense of immersion experienced across every seating section.

“What impressed us most was the natural resonance and emotional impact of the live sound,” said Gi-Deok Park. “The immersion and clarity of both the vocal and band mix remained exceptional throughout the venue.”

“What stood out was how clearly many people recognised the difference between a conventional stereo system and the immersive L-ISA environment,” added James Koo. “Positive feedback about the level of immersion appeared consistently across the entire venue, from the floor seats all the way to the upper tiers. Audiences also responded to the physical presence of the speaker system itself, with the flown clusters becoming part of the visual experience rather than only a technical element.”

Reflecting on the project, System Engineer Sunchang Shon concluded, “L-ISA expands the range of what can be expressed spatially and musically in a live environment. Exploring that new territory was one of the most exciting parts of the entire production.”