Completion of Remodeling at National Theater Haeoreum Theater... Official Reopening in September

Exterior view of the National Theater's Haeoreum Theater. (Photo by National Theater)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The National Theater completed the remodeling project of the Haeoreum Theater, which began in October 2017, and on the 18th, revealed the transformed interior facilities for the first time.

The comprehensive renovation of the theater's core spaces?stage, seating, and lobby?was the first since its opening in 1973, focusing on ▲creating a comfortable viewing environment ▲modernizing stage facilities ▲reinforcing long-term safety. The total project cost amounted to 65.8 billion KRW.

The newly transformed Haeoreum Theater shows changes starting from its exterior. The massive stone staircase that connected the Cultural Square to the Haeoreum Theater lobby was removed to enhance openness and accessibility as a space open to everyone. Additionally, in the era of endemic infectious diseases, contactless services were strengthened by introducing unmanned ticketing systems and automatic ticket inspection systems.

The auditorium changed from its original 1,563-seat capacity to a medium-large scale of 1,221 seats. Rather than simply increasing the number of seats, the focus was on enhancing audience concentration. The previous Haeoreum Theater stage was up to 22.4 meters wide, which was too broad, and the loose seating arrangement and gentle slope of the seats made it difficult for viewers to secure a clear line of sight and maintain focus. Accordingly, the stage width was reduced to a maximum of 17 meters, and the seating slope was increased to improve audience concentration.

Regarding stage machinery, the 23 upper device bars previously operated manually in a mixed manner were replaced with 78 device bars that operate automatically in an integrated system, allowing for detailed stage transitions. The stage floor saw the removal of the large revolving stage, which was infrequently used, and was replaced by four 14m×4m-sized lift stages that can be easily converted for orchestra performances and other uses. The circular revolving stage was manufactured in two modular sizes, 10m and 13m in diameter, which can be installed and operated by lowering the central lift stage when needed.

The National Theater particularly focused on architectural acoustics during the remodeling. The reverberation time of the Haeoreum Theater, which was fixed at 1.35 seconds, was extended to 1.65 seconds. This created a theater space where melodies can be enjoyed naturally without additional amplification. Forty-eight variable acoustic control devices called 'Acoustic Banners' were installed on the inner walls of the seating area, allowing adjustment of reverberation time according to the genre of performance.

The stage and audience seats of the National Theater's Haeoreum Theater. (Photo by National Theater)

In terms of electroacoustics, the 'immersive surround sound system' was introduced for the first time in a domestic performance hall. This system, completed with a total of 132 speakers (59 main, 16 front, 48 surround, 9 effects), is characterized by its three-dimensional sound design and mixing, enabling clear and vivid sound perception from any seat, according to the National Theater. Typical performance hall sound systems have speakers installed on the left, right, and center of the seating area, making the equilateral triangular zone in the center the optimal listening position; moving away from this zone makes it difficult to enjoy uniform sound or rich sound images. The National Theater has strived to eliminate acoustic dead zones and provide balanced sound from any seat, moving away from the traditional stereo system where sound clarity varies depending on the audience's position.

The lighting equipment system allows easy switching between general lighting devices and special devices such as moving lights and fog machines, enhancing work efficiency. The auditorium lighting was also designed to minimize glare for performers on stage, and each lamp can be operated separately, enabling sophisticated auditorium lighting effects.

There were also changes behind the stage. Previously, there were nine dressing rooms in total, but the new theater doubled that number. On the first floor, there is a performers' lounge, three individual dressing rooms, and seven group dressing rooms; on the second floor, one reading room and two group dressing rooms; and in the basement, six spare dressing rooms that can also be used during performances at the Daloreum Theater, improving the environment for performers.

Founded in 1950, the National Theater moved to its current location in October 1973, marking the Namsan era. At the time of the Namsan opening, the stage was approximately 1,322㎡ in size with three floors and 1,494 seats. It was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for the time, such as a revolving stage and manual device bars. However, due to aging facilities, it lacked the infrastructure to implement various modern performance techniques and was criticized for its outdated viewing environment. Although a remodeling was carried out in 2004, it was limited to interior repairs of the lobby and seating areas.

Kim Cheol-ho, director of the National Theater, stated, "Through this remodeling, it is expected that natural acoustic performances and various directing methods will be accommodated, enabling the production of more modern and high-quality performances," adding, "This will be an opportunity for the National Theater to take a new leap forward as Korea's representative production theater."

To ensure smooth operation of the newly renovated Haeoreum Theater, the National Theater will conduct a trial operation of the performance hall from June to August. After addressing improvements, the official reopening will take place in September, coinciding with the start of the '2021~2022 National Theater Repertoire Season.' During the trial operation period, performances such as the National Changgeuk Company’s 'Gwito,' the National Gugak Orchestra’s 'Small Concert for Boys and Girls,' and the National Dance Company’s 'Sanjo' will be staged.

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