Seoul City to Open Jeong-dong 'Cecil Theater Rooftop' as a Public Rest Area in August

A 566㎡ Viewing and Rest Area for Deoksugung and Jeongdong Cathedral Historical Scenery with New Elevator
City Funds Facility Construction, Anglican Church Owns and Maintains... Construction Starts in March
New Hub and Attraction in Jeongdong Expected to Boost 'Jeongdong Historical Revitalization Project'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in cooperation with the Anglican Church Seoul Diocese, will open the rooftop of the Jeongdong 'Cecil Theater'?a center of small theater culture in the 1970s and 1980s and known as the "Number One Place for Korean Theater"?as an urban citizen rest area. Construction will begin in March, with the goal of completion and opening in August.

The currently restricted rooftop, due to existing facilities, will be transformed into a 566㎡ observatory-style rest space. Benches, shade structures, and green spaces will be installed throughout for visitors to take a break, and a new elevator directly connecting the ground floor to the rooftop will be added. Additionally, repairs and reinforcements will be made to the building’s exterior walls (tiles), structural components, and stairwell modifications will also be carried out.

Previously, the city conducted a building safety inspection in 2018 and held a designated design competition for public architects to derive the optimal design plan. Last year, cultural heritage alteration permits and detailed designs were completed.

Once the Cecil Theater rooftop is opened, it is expected to become another landmark in Jeongdong. From the rooftop, Deoksugung Palace can be seen to the right, and the Seoul Anglican Cathedral?Korea’s only Romanesque-style church?can be seen to the left. Directly ahead are Sejong-daero, Seoul City Hall, and the Seoul Urban Architecture Exhibition Hall, which opened in March last year.

The opening of the Cecil Theater rooftop citizen rest area is part of Seoul’s "Jeongdong Historical Revitalization Project." The project aims to restore the historical significance and sense of place of the Korean Empire (1897?1910) embodied in Jeongdong, promote the area as a landmark, raise local value awareness, and inject new vitality. Since its opening in 1976, Cecil Theater has preserved the legacy of Korean theater culture, modern history, architecture, and cultural arts, but it closed in January 2018 due to financial difficulties. To preserve Cecil Theater as a cultural asset and maintain its function, Seoul reopened it in April 2018 through a public-private cultural regeneration partnership and currently operates it. The city leases the theater long-term and subleases it to a selected nonprofit organization to operate.

Cecil Theater is located within the "Jeongdong Urban Regeneration Activation Zone" and has recently been recognized as a key stop on the Jeongdong historical exploration route due to significant changes in the surrounding area. In December 2018, the previously closed section of the Deoksugung Stone Wall Road around Cecil Theater was fully opened, improving access within Jeongdong. In March last year, the Seoul Urban Architecture Exhibition Hall was established on the site where the old National Tax Service annex building, which blocked the view of the Seoul Anglican Cathedral, was demolished.

On the 6th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Anglican Church Seoul Diocese signed a "Business Agreement for the Creation and Operation of the Cecil Theater Rooftop Citizen Space for the Revitalization of Cecil Theater and Jeongdong Historical Regeneration" at 'Yangijae' within the Anglican Church Seoul Diocese.

According to the agreement, both parties will open the rooftop, a common area of Cecil Theater, and the newly installed elevator to citizens for the next 10 years. The opening hours will be aligned with those of the adjacent Deoksugung Palace, allowing visitors to enjoy views from the rooftop during events such as Deoksugung’s nighttime openings.

The agreement period is set for 10 years from the date of signing, with provisions for extension through mutual consultation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will bear the total construction cost of 1.3 billion KRW required for the rooftop development. After completion, ownership and maintenance of the facilities will be managed by the Anglican Church Seoul Diocese, the building owner.

Kang Maeng-hoon, Director of Urban Regeneration at Seoul City, said, "Following the reopening of the 42-year-old Cecil Theater, which had closed due to financial difficulties, through cultural regeneration, we will transform the rooftop into an urban rest space and return it to the citizens. It will become a new cultural and historical exploration hub in Jeongdong and serve as a catalyst for the Jeongdong Historical Revitalization Project."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.