Kaohsiung has become a concert city. The National Stadium has hosted Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Blackpink and Twice, BTS play there in November 2026, and the city says concerts brought in NT$5.7 billion in 2024. For theatre, opera and orchestras, Weiwuying is one of the most striking arts centres anywhere. The big venues are all on the MRT or the light rail.
The big venues
National Stadium (國家體育場, the World Games Stadium). Built for the 2009 World Games and designed by Toyo Ito, it's where stadium tours play: Coldplay (2023), Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars (2024), Blackpink and Twice (2025), and BTS on 19, 21 and 22 November 2026. MRT: World Games (R17, Red Line).
Kaohsiung Arena (高雄巨蛋). An indoor arena of 15,000 seats, opened in 2008, used for concerts and sport. MRT: Kaohsiung Arena (R14), which is also the stop for Ruifeng Night Market.
Kaohsiung Music Center (高雄流行音樂中心). The white wave-shaped buildings on the harbor, built for pop music: Hi-Ing Hall holds 4,000 to 6,000, and the outdoor Sea Breeze Plaza 8,000 to 10,000. Its LIVE WAREHOUSE, in a Pier-2 warehouse, is a live house with a large hall for up to 1,400 standing and a small one for 230. Light rail: Love Pier (C11) or Glory Pier (C10).
Weiwuying
Weiwuying (衛武營國家藝術文化中心), the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, opened on 13 October 2018. The Dutch architect Francine Houben of Mecanoo drew its rolling roof from the banyan groves of the park around it, and it was billed as the world's largest performing arts centre under one roof. Under it are an opera house (Taiwan's largest), a concert hall, a playhouse and a recital hall, plus an outdoor theatre. The Banyan Plaza beneath the roof is open to everyone, 24 hours a day, so you can walk through even without a ticket.
- Venue Daily 11:00 to 20:00 (Banyan Plaza open 24 hours)
- Tickets OPENTIX, Weiwuying's own platform
- Station MRT Weiwuying (O10, Orange Line), exit 6
Megaport Festival
Megaport (大港開唱) is Kaohsiung's big rock and indie festival, held each March in and around the Pier-2 warehouses. The 2027 edition is set for March 2027 at Pier-2; the exact days haven't been announced yet. Watch the official site.
Buying tickets as a visitor
Most shows sell online, and you'll need a credit card. The main platforms:
- KKTIX: lets you verify a foreign phone number by choosing your country code (some countries get the code by WhatsApp). Buyers outside Taiwan pay by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- tixCraft: used for many big concerts. Usually takes Visa, Mastercard and JCB, but it varies by show; bank transfer needs a Taiwanese account.
- OPENTIX: the national arts centres' platform, including Weiwuying. Registration takes a foreign calling code, and it has an English service line.
- ibon: the kiosks in 7-Eleven, used by some shows. Enter your English name and passport number exactly as they appear on your passport.
Good to know: many big concerts are real-name events. Bring your original passport: copies and phone photos aren't accepted at the door.
Concert nights on the MRT
After big stadium shows, KRTC runs extra trains from World Games Station, as often as every three minutes, but the last trains still leave the ends of the lines at midnight. On those nights, single-journey tickets may not be sold at the station: have an iPASS or EasyCard topped up, or tap a bank card. Different exits serve each direction, so follow the staff.
Bars
Kaohsiung's bar scene is spread out, and the rooftop bars are the visitor favourites. The city's own magazine has picked out WA-RA (5F, 33 Xinguang Rd.) and RAR BAR, a poolside bar on the 24th floor at 189 Linsen 4th Rd., both in Qianzhen near Asia New Bay; Pier No.1 Bar, an open-air bar with live music at 4 Zhongshan 1st Rd.; and JustIn bar, hidden behind a dessert shop at 84 Wufu 4th Rd. in Yancheng.
Films
The Kaohsiung Film Archive (高雄市電影館) on the Love River, at 10 Hexi Rd. in Yancheng (light rail Love Pier, C11), shows classic and festival films and runs a VR film lab; it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 13:30 to 21:30. For new releases, Vieshow has an IMAX cinema in the FE21 department store (21 Sanduo 4th Rd.), and Showtime runs the cinema in Dream Mall.
Baseball
Kaohsiung's professional baseball team is the TSG Hawks (台鋼雄鷹), in Taiwan's top league (CPBL) since 2024. Home games are at Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium; buy tickets through the team's own ticket site and app. The season runs from late March to October.
Sources: Weiwuying: official site, getting there and Taipei Times. Concerts: Focus Taiwan, CNA (also concert-night MRT), Taipei Times (BTS), Focus Taiwan (Blackpink), Taipei Times (Twice), and Focus Taiwan (concert revenue). Kaohsiung Arena: Kaohsiung City Government. Music Center: Kaohsiung Travel and Kaohsiung Music Center. Megaport: official site. Tickets: KKTIX, tixCraft, OPENTIX. Bars: the city's Love Kaohsiung feature. Film Archive: Kaohsiung Film Archive; Vieshow: CNA. Baseball: Taipei Times and TVBS. Checked October 2026.