Gwangju Dong-gu Saves Gwangju Theater, the Longest-Running Cinema in Korea

Business Agreement between YU EUN Academy and Gwangju Theater Co., Ltd.

Gwangju Dong-gu Office building exterior.

Dong-gu, Gwangju City announced on the 3rd that it has signed a business agreement with the school corporation Yueun Academy and Gwangju Theater Co., Ltd. to “revitalize Gwangju Theater and develop local culture.”

In the agreement, both parties agreed to preserve the historical and cultural value of Gwangju Theater, improve the aging screening facilities, and promote cultural and artistic programs linked to the theater.

Gwangju Theater is the longest-running single-screen theater in Korea with 856 seats. It opened on October 1, 1935, in Chungjangno 4-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju, and hosted events such as the Liberation Commemoration Grand Performance in 1945, the Moscow Tripartite Conference Support Rally in 1946, and a speech by Baekbeom Kim Gu in 1948.

Currently, it operates as an art film exclusive theater, showcasing a variety of domestic and international films. Additionally, local artists and citizens gather to continue cultural projects such as the “Gwangju Theater Film Festival.”

Im Taek, the district mayor, said, “Gwangju Theater is a representative local humanities resource containing the history, culture, and memories of the citizens. We will strive to ensure it can serve as a cultural and artistic hub alongside the citizens for a long time.”

Meanwhile, Dong-gu is promoting the hometown love donation project titled “Please Support the 100-Year Theater Dream of Gwangju Theater.”