Seogye-dong 'Complex Cultural Space' Development Kicks Off

Ministry of Culture to Transform National Theater Company Site into Cultural and Arts Hub
Construction Begins This Year, Opening Planned for 2030... New Performance Halls and Rehearsal Rooms
200 Public Rental Homes to Be Built as Artist Support Housing

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is creating a new performing arts hub near Seoul Station in Seogye-dong by combining a complex cultural facility with artist support housing. Based on this, they plan to gradually expand performance venues and creation/production spaces to areas such as Myeongdong, Jeongdong, and Namsan.

According to the Ministry on the 6th, a project is underway to develop the site of the National Theater Company at Seogye-dong 1 (7,904.5㎡), located a 5-minute walk from Seoul Station, into a cultural and artistic hub. Construction will begin this year, aiming for completion in 2029 and opening in 2030.

The newly created space will be a complex cultural facility with 4 basement floors and 10 above-ground floors, including four performance halls (a large hall with 1,107 seats, a 500-seat black box theater, a medium hall with 488 seats, and a small hall with 250 seats), 10 rehearsal rooms, a specialized performing arts library, exhibition halls, and office and retail facilities. Additionally, integrated public rental housing for 200 households will be built as artist support housing, providing both creative spaces and residences.

To this end, the Ministry signed a business agreement with Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) and Seogye Cultural Yard. Once the project executor, Seogye Cultural Yard, completes the facility, ownership will belong to the state (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and local governments. Seogye Cultural Yard will lease and operate the facility for 20 years, while LH plans to develop the artist rental housing, use it for 30 years, and then donate it to the state.

With the development of the Seogye-dong site gaining momentum, the Ministry’s ‘Namsan Performing Arts Belt’ project is also expected to accelerate. Alongside the Seogye-dong project, the Ministry plans to expand creation and production facilities within the National Theater by 2026, including rehearsal rooms, studios, and stage storage. Furthermore, Jeongdong Theater will expand its performance and convenience facilities, aiming for completion in 2029, including a medium theater with 550 seats and a small theater with 265 seats. Myeongdong Arts Theater will be revitalized to attract more citizens and tourists, driving growth across the performing arts industry.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon is speaking after signing a business agreement for the creation of the 'Seogye-dong Complex Cultural Space' with Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) and project operator Seogye Cultural Yard at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul on the 5th.
Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Yoo In-chon of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "The creation of a new type of complex cultural space in Seogye-dong, following the Namsan Performing Arts Belt and the reconstruction of Jeongdong Theater, will provide a solid foundation for the growth of the performing arts industry." He added, "By providing both creative spaces and housing through artist rental housing, we hope to enhance artists’ welfare and establish this as a hub for creation and production activities."

However, the theater and performance community is arguing that two of the performance halls within the Seogye-dong complex cultural facility should be used exclusively as theaters for plays. Son Jeong-woo, director of the Korea Theater Association, emphasized, "With the Daehangno public theater closing due to rent and operating cost burdens, the Seogye-dong performance halls should become stable creative spaces for small theater companies." He added, "Utilizing the geographical advantage close to Seoul Station, it is necessary to introduce regional theater to Seoul audiences and provide opportunities for regional theater companies to secure popularity."

In response, Lee Jeong-woo, Director of Cultural Arts Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "Whether the theaters will be exclusively for plays has not yet been decided." He explained, "We have commissioned a research project to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute to review the exclusivity issue, and once the research results come out in September, we plan to discuss it again with the theater and performance community."