2022 Performance Market Sales Reach 972.5 Billion KRW... Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels

Arts Management Support Center Announces 'Performing Arts Survey'
In 2022, 14%↑ Compared to Pre-Pandemic 2019
Ticket Sales Amounted to 561.7 Billion KRW, Accounting for 57.8% of Total Revenue

The performing arts market, which contracted during the COVID-19 pandemic, is showing a rapid recovery. Last year, the total sales revenue of the performance market reached around 1 trillion KRW, marking growth compared to the pre-pandemic figure in 2019.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the "2023 Performing Arts Survey (based on 2022)" released by the Arts Management Support Center on the 30th, the total sales revenue of the performance market in 2022 was recorded at 972.5 billion KRW. Of this, ticket sales accounted for 57.8%, work sales (performance fees) 12.3%, venue rental income 11.5%, other performance income 5.2%, and non-performance business income and other income 13.2%, respectively.

This represents a 97.2% increase compared to 2021 (493.3 billion KRW) and a 14% increase compared to 2019 (approximately 853 billion KRW) before COVID-19.

The venue utilization rate in 2022, which indicates the level of venue activation, was 50.2%. Although this is a 13 percentage point increase from 2021 (37.2%), it is 9.4 percentage points lower than 2019 (59.6%) due to social distancing measures being maintained until April 17, 2022.

Reflecting the 2022 settlement statistics from the Korea Performing Arts Integrated System (KOPIS), ticket sales revenue was approximately 561.7 billion KRW, showing a 155.7% increase compared to 2021 (219.7 billion KRW).

While the total sales revenue of the performing arts market has surpassed that of 2019, ticket sales (34.3%) and venue rental income (7.9%) increased, but work sales income (performance fees), other performance income (such as sales of promotional materials or goods, sponsorship, and promotional agency income), non-performance business income (exhibitions, education, etc.), and other income (parking fees, rental fees, etc.) have not yet reached pre-COVID-19 levels.

This survey was conducted online from June 9 to October 24, targeting 5,286 performance facilities and organizations nationwide. A full survey was conducted for public performance facilities and organizations, while a sample survey was conducted for private performance facilities and organizations. The sampling error is ±2.8 percentage points for performance facilities and ±2.2 percentage points for performance organizations at a 95% confidence level.

The "Performing Arts Survey" is a government-approved statistic (National Approved Statistic No. 113015) conducted annually since 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Management Support Center. This year's survey reflected the revised Performance Act from last year, separating musicals, which were previously included under theater, into an independent genre, and categorized the survey into theater, musical, Western music, Korean traditional music, dance, and complex genres.

The "2023 Performing Arts Survey Report" will be distributed next month through the Arts Management Support Center website and the Korea Performing Arts Integrated System.