"Do You Know Myeongbo, Seukara, Danseongsa?"... Theaters That Disappeared into History [Euljiro Rotary]

⑫ Myeongbo Theater, Scara Theater, Daehan Theater, and Other Streets Once Filled with Film Companies and Actors
Now Disappeared into History

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Editor's NoteAnother name for Euljiro is 'Hipjiro.' Although the area presents a confusing scene with old buildings and alleyways mixed with reconstruction sites, it offers a unique charm in that the past and present overlap. Once facing a crisis due to industrial decline, Euljiro's vitality was revived as young people continued to visit. We explore the future of the city by meeting those who have established Euljiro’s distinctive sensibility and those striving to carry on its legacy.

Famous as the 'Printing Alley,' Euljiro is adjacent to Chungmuro and was closely connected to the film industry. The Euljiro area was a film hub with theaters concentrated around the Myeongbo Art Center (formerly Myeongbo Theater), Dansungsa, and Scala Theater. Film companies lined the streets, and film production staff and actors were often seen around. Movie posters hung inside printing shops and restaurants remain as records showing Euljiro’s close ties to the film industry in the past.

Theaters Lost to History

The Daehan Theater, with a 66-year history, is disappearing into history. Recently, Segi Sangsa, the operator of Daehan Theater, announced through an electronic disclosure on April 30 that it plans to cease operations of its theater business division (Daehan Theater) by September 30. Segi Sangsa cited 'continuous deficit resolution due to paradigm shifts in the film screening business' and 'asset efficiency and business structure improvement' as reasons for the closure. Opened in 1958 as a single-screen theater, Daehan Theater became a symbol of Chungmuro by premiering beloved films such as Ben-Hur, The Sound of Music, and Back to the Future.

Opened in 1957, Myeongbo Theater was the first movie theater designed by a Korean. Maintaining its original form until the 1980s, Myeongbo Theater was eventually demolished in 1993 due to the decline of single-screen theaters and the rise of multiplexes in the 1990s. Myeongbo Plaza was built on the site of the old Myeongbo Theater, introducing Korea’s first multiplex there. After remodeling in 2001, it attempted to revive its former glory under the name Myeongbo Theater but closed in 2008 due to the influence of large multiplex chains. In 2009, it became the current Myeongbo Art Hall, a theater dedicated to musicals and plays.

Scala Theater opened in 1935 and closed in 2005. Films such as The Hand of Fate, Gone with the Wind, and For Whom the Bell Tolls premiered at the now-historic Scala Theater.

Euljiro Remembered by Film Industry Professionals

Director Lee Joon-ik worked in the Chungmuro area during the 1980s and 1990s and enjoyed many films at nearby theaters. In a phone interview with Asia Economy, the director recalled, "Back then, there was no internet or YouTube, so movies were the only cultural medium. It was the sole window to experience worlds beyond reality." He added, "The theaters were large, seating a thousand people per screening. I remember sharing emotions, crying and laughing together."

Recalling the premiere of Back to the Future at Daehan Theater, he said, "The crowd overflowed onto the six-lane road, causing a traffic jam?a truly spectacular scene." About Scala Theater, he said, "I watched so many films there that I can’t even remember them all," recalling that "many foreign masterpieces were screened there."

Song Hye-sun, CEO of PL Entertainment, a musical actor management company, worked at prominent film companies such as Yukrim Film and Taeheung Film from 1980. She recalled, "From the 1980s to 2000s, there were many film companies around Chungmuro and Euljiro. Chungmuro Star Coffee Shop was a meeting place for actors and film industry professionals." Before digital cameras became widespread, during the era of film screenings, motorcycles lined up in front of theaters to deliver film reels before the 10 a.m. start time.

Recalling theaters in Euljiro and Chungmuro such as Dansungsa, Gukdo Theater, Scala Theater, and Daehan Theater, Song said, "I came here very often as a middle and high school student. We often had group viewings from school." She added, "Nowadays, tickets are booked on mobile phones, but back then, you had to buy tickets one by one. When sold out, the ticket booth would close and post a large 'Sold Out' sign. When tickets sold out right before my eyes, it felt like the world was collapsing."