First Classical Music-Only Performance Hall in Western Busan Completed
987-Seat Concert Hall, 300-Seat Ensemble Theater
The Nakdong Art Center, which is set to become a hub for the cultural renaissance of western Busan, is accelerating its preparations for opening.
On September 3, the Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Hyungjoon) announced that it has completed the construction of the Nakdong Art Center, the first classical music-only performance hall in the western Busan area, located at Neighborhood Park No. 1 in Myeongji District, Gangseo-gu, and has finalized the transfer of ownership.
The Nakdong Art Center is a facility built by Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) at a total cost of 63 billion won and donated to the city of Busan. The project was carried out under the "Myeongji District Cultural Complex Construction Agreement." After the agreement was signed in 2016 between Busan Metropolitan Government, Gangseo-gu, and LH, construction began in November 2021, the building received approval for use in June 2025, and ownership was officially transferred to the city on August 26.
The Nakdong Art Center is a three-story building with one basement level, comprising a 987-seat classical music-only "Concert Hall" and a 300-seat multipurpose "Ensemble Theater." The Concert Hall features a "shoebox" design, commonly adopted by major concert venues worldwide, which provides rich acoustics and a sense of spaciousness.
The city has delegated the management and operation of the Nakdong Art Center to Gangseo-gu and is preparing for the official opening scheduled for January next year. To this end, the city allocated 1.3 billion won from the second supplementary budget this year to support Gangseo-gu with operating expenses and initial facility setup costs. In addition, part of the "Classic Busan" planned performances will be held at the Nakdong Art Center to help activate the facility. Gangseo-gu is also expediting preparations for the opening by establishing a dedicated business office and reinforcing its team with performance specialists through an organizational restructuring in July.
Cho Yujang, Director of Culture at Busan Metropolitan Government, stated, "The Nakdong Art Center will serve as a hub to enhance cultural accessibility for residents of western Busan and expand opportunities to enjoy culture in daily life. We also expect it to address concerns within the local performing arts community regarding the shortage of performance venues due to the remodeling of the Grand Theater at the Busan Cultural Center."
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