Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member Kim Ki-tae: Jeonnam Performing Arts Spring Sales Only 1.28 Million Won

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Kim Gitae, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, announced on the 1st that 71% of the government's cultural and artistic public project selections are actually concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi.

Based on this, Assemblyman Kim proposed support for the production of online performance content and broadcasting of audience-free performances to the Jeonnam performing arts sector, which has been directly hit by COVID-19.

According to the regional statistics of the Integrated Performing Arts Network (from March 1 to May 27 this year), since the full-scale implementation of social distancing in March, the performance sales in Jeonnam for traditional Korean music, theater, musicals, dance, classical music, opera, etc., amounted to only 1.28 million KRW, with 3 performances and just 32 reservations, showing that the performing arts sector was severely impacted by COVID-19.

Compared to the same period last year, sales were 1/100, number of performances 1/20, and reservations 1/300, leaving the performing arts industry on the brink of collapse due to lack of operating funds caused by poor sales, necessitating urgent measures.

While local performing arts sectors, including Sejong City where sales were zero throughout spring, are all facing difficulties, Seoul’s sales actually increased to about 22.1 billion KRW compared to the same period last year (19.8 billion KRW in 2019), and the share of nationwide performance sales (78.4→98.5) and reservations (74.9→97.3) also rose, further intensifying the concentration of performance viewing opportunities in Seoul.

Assemblyman Kim Gitae said, “Analyzing the selection data of the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service’s public projects, 72% of the selected cases in 2018 were concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi, which is similar to the number of certified artistic activities, revealing that the concentration of cultural and artistic projects in the metropolitan area is a fact.”

He added, “Due to the COVID-19 situation, it is difficult to use multi-use facilities, and since social distancing is still being practiced in daily life, it is difficult to hold performances with large audiences. As performers are also people who need to make a living, I propose support for the production of online performance content that can be enjoyed through non-face-to-face contact and broadcasting of audience-free live performances for residents exhausted by COVID-19.”

He emphasized, “Going forward, let us overcome the performing arts recession by developing various types of performance content that can be enjoyed digitally by applying Augmented Reality (AR) technology in the post-COVID-19 era.”