Introduction of Seongnam Arts Center
Since its grand opening on Oct. 14th, 2005, Seongnam Arts Center has adopted the latest trend in performing arts and, at the same time, has pursued to provide a cultural space which caters to the sentiments of the local community.
Seongnam Arts Center is operated by Seongnam Cultural Foundation, a non-profit organization which induces citizens to take more interest in culture and supports their cultural activities.
While a number of theaters have opened in the metropolitan area recently, Seongnam Arts Center is still taking the leadership in setting forth the role of cultural foundations and the vision of theaters in the region, by presenting premieres, exclusive shows and programs of its own making as well as carrying out activities to increase people who enjoy or have the potential to enjoy culture. Through such efforts, Seongnam Arts Center has gained competitiveness matched by no other.
There are three theaters at Seongnam Arts Center; the Opera House with 1,804 seats, the Concert Hall specialized in classical music which boasts the best sound system in Korea and the Ensemble Theater to feature small-scale shows including jazz and play.
As a high-tech multi-purpose art center that presents world-class shows and a friendly cultural place for families, Seongnam Arts Center will stand strong as the leader of culture and art around the world. It has presented a number of programs which surpassed the expectation of the performing art community in Korea, such as Gilbert Kaplan’s premiere in Korea, Ivan Fischer & the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Matthias Goerne’s first recital, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo (Cinderella and La Belle), Christian Thielemann & the Munich Philharmonic and the premiere of Miss Saigon (one of top four musicals in the world). It has received rave reviews for unique and perfect-quality performances including the youth orchestra festival, and its own produced “Faust” and “Ariadne auf Naxos” were named as the best performance of the year by KBS TV in 2005 and 2007 each.
In addition, the Center has organized the Tancheon Festival, which is a culture and art festival for citizens, the Seongnam International Dance Festival and the Seongnam International Youth Orchestra Festival that teaches youths music for emotional education, thereby making significant contributions to the development of local culture.
Seongnam Arts Center also offers exhibition halls (the main gallery and the cube gallery), the cultural academy, the state-of-the-art music fountain, the outdoor square and various amenities. It’s a resting place of choice rich in beautiful nature as well as a space where one can develop his/her potential. Seongnam Arts Center will make utmost efforts to become the cultural hub of the metropolitan area, as well as of Seongnam.
Theater guide
Opera House
The High-quality Culture and Art Center
Opera House of Seongnam Arts Center has been designed to be a multi-purpose hall which would cover from traditional performances to contemporary avant-garde art performance. As having been built to accommodate 1,854 people, the house provides the audience with dynamic moves and sounds of large-scale operas, ballet performances, musicals and concerts. This metropolitan theater was constructed in consideration of efficient use of space and maximum safety.
In pursuit of various expressions of performing arts, eight acoustic banner curtains which would make a delicate delivery of sounds have been installed. Sound preservation device based on 1.6 second reverberation echo of a basic hall sustains the reverberation echo up to three seconds which would have the whole audience enjoy the best-quality sound quality. In the back stage are 10 VIP rooms, private/group make-up rooms, guest green rooms, a conductor’s room and a band leader’s room. Each section of opera, drama, Korean traditional music band and dance is able to practice in practice rooms on the third floor.
Concert Hall
The Architecture in a Shape of a Sleek Piano
When it is looked down from above, you will find Concert Hall in shape of a piano. As a two-story acoustic hall for a music performance, it can accommodate 994 people. In the back is prepared a choir spot. Since it has been constructed to be an arena without a curtain, the audience will be satisfied with a sense of pleasure and comfort which would be the original advantages of the hall. The architectural acoustics based on features of this concert-exclusive hallwere designed with 1.8 second reverberation echo, and the indirect audience light enhances the softness and the comfort of the hall even more than ever. The external glass manufactured by SPG (Special Project Glazing) System secures excellent glare effect as harmoniously working with the surroundings of Concert Hall. With this effect, the beautiful lobby of the hall feels more attractive to the audience. In the back stage, you can find six make-up rooms, an instrument storage room and 13 practice rooms including the one for the orchestra. You can also findSeongnam Municipal Choir, Seongnam Symphony Orchestra, Seongnam Korean Traditional Music Orchestra and Seongnam Youth Choir moved in the hall.
Ensemble Theater
The Multi-purpose Hall for Ensembles
As the smallest multi-purpose hall in Seongnam Arts Center with a capacity of 378 people, Ensemble Theater holds various art performances such as drama performances, recitals and experimental performances. With the T-shaped stage which is prominent towards the front, the audience is welcome to exercise their imagination as much as they wish while they enjoy a performance made by the turning gear. Such system gently invites the audience to the show.
Media Hall
Seongnam Arts Center is waiting for you with the best cultural faculties. In particular, the Media Hall offers a set of state-of-the-art facilities such as a digital movie theater with the highest definition screen and a superb sound system. There are also a projector with HD digital power output which plays movies in high definition, an ultra-large screen spanning across the stage, and the best quality sound systems such as Hi-Fi audio system and Dolby & DTS
surround system customized to classical music and opera.
In addition, Media Hall has a stage lighting system of the highest quality so that it is used as a mini theater for various shows put up by Sarangbang Culture Club, etc.
Gallery guide
Main Gallery
The Multi-purpose Art Hall in Consideration of Popularity and Artistry
Seongnam Arts Center operates two multi-purpose art halls which have been constructed in consideration of both popularity and artistry.
The designer of these art halls hoped that the buildings would be a place in which people could actually communicate with art pieces as they would not regard the buildings as a simple exhibition hall. While the art halls provide the audience with simple, interesting arts which would not concern social status and age, they play a role as a resting place for citizens before they go to see a performance. The main building of the art hall located on the first basement floor of Opera House is 825㎡ wide and 3.3m tall. There are three exhibition halls and a storage room in the building with full installation of constant temperature, constant humidity and lighting fixture. This hall is capable of holding all sorts of genres from installation work, traditional arts to contemporary arts. In the main building of Art Hall are placed Exhibition Hall 1, 2 and 3 (297㎡, 297㎡ and 231㎡, respectively) and on the left of the lobby, a family restaurant is open as a resting place for the audience.
Cube Art Gallery
The Optimized Exhibition Hall
Cube Art Gallery located on the second floor of Cube Plaza is 759㎡ wide (250 pyeong). With the latest constant humidity installation and lighting fixture, the hall provides the audience the optimized environment.
How to get to Seongnam Arts Center
By private cars
Kyongbu Express Way / Seoul Outskirt Beltway Expressway
When you come out of Pangyo I.C, please go straight about 2 km to the Tancheon bridge, across which you are advised to drive about 700m to the Imae intersection, at which you have to make a left turn onto the Seongnam Blvd. Driving straight about 1.8 km, you may find the Seong nam Arts Center on your right.
Bundang to Suseo Highway
Driving 15km after entering the Bundang to Suseo highway by way of either Olympic Highway or Riverside North Highway, you can find the traffic sign indicating 'Bulmal Underpass' (you will also find the Tap Maul Apartment complex on your left). Instead of going into the underpass, be asked to make a left turn toward Techno Park or Bundang Police Department. Please cross the Tancheon bridge (Hatao-Gyo) and make a right turn, and you may find the Seongnam Arts Center on your left.
Bungdang to Naegok Highway
Going straight to Unjuro across the Seongsu Bridge Seoul Customs Office-Renaissance Hotel -Yongdong Severance Hospital -Guryung Tunnel-Naegok Tunnel, you may find the Sihung Underpass with about 3.5 km drive. Instead of entering the underpass, you are asked to go straight 2.6 km toward Seongnam City Hall, and make a right turn at a closed three-way junction. Driving further 2.5 km, you may find the Seongnam Arts Center on your left.
Tips for entering Bundanng to Suseo Highway
Olympic Highway :after driving about 1 km across the Dongho Bridge, the Seongsu Bridge and finally the Yongdong Bridge, you may enter the highway on your right - Riverside North Highway : entering the Chungdam Bridge across the Dongho Bridge, the Seongsu Bridge and finally the Yongdong Bridge.
Bus
Get off the bus at the Taewon High School
Metropolitan buses (red color) 9408, 3330, 4000, 9607, 7200
City buses 250, 220, 2-1, 51, 33-1, 300, 720, 720-1, 77-1, 116-3, 17, 17-1, 119
Subway
Seongnam Art Center is a 10-minute walk from Exit no. 1 of Imae Subway Station of Bundang Line.
For those from Seoul, it is recommended to transfer to Bundang Line at Bokjeong Station of Line no. 8 for Imae Station.