Seongnam City to Hold Opening Concerts for Seongnam Mulbit Garden Music Hall on September 7-8

Seongnam Mulbit Garden Music Hall Opens in Remodeled Sewage Plant
World-Renowned Conductor Gum Nanse Appointed as Artistic Director
Weekly Performances to Feature Promising Young Musicians and Ensembles
Site Transformed into Vibrant Cultural Venue with Plans for a World-Class Art Museum

The former sewage treatment plant building in Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, has been reborn as a cultural, artistic, and relaxation space filled with music, now welcoming citizens.

Music Hall at Seongnam Mulbit Garden in Gumi-dong with a banner announcing its opening on the 5th. Provided by Seongnam City

On September 4, Seongnam City (Mayor Shin Sangjin) announced that commemorative concerts for the opening of the Seongnam Mulbit Garden Music Hall (scheduled for September 5) will be held at 7 p.m. on September 7 and 8.

The city has appointed world-renowned conductor and Artistic Director of the Seongnam City Arts Group, Gum Nanse, as the music hall's Artistic Director, entrusting him with conducting and hosting the concerts.

The repertoire for the two-day event includes: Grieg's Suite "From Holberg's Time," Vivaldi's "Summer" from "The Four Seasons," Jenkins' "Palladio," Galliano's "Tango pour Claude," the second movement of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Respighi's Suite of Ancient Airs and Dances No. 3 "Passacaglia," among others.

The Golden Chamber Orchestra will perform, featuring promising young musicians such as violinist Yoon Haewon, bandoneonist (accordionist) Kim Jongwan, and pianist Noh Yejin, offering audiences a chance to experience their fantastic harmony.

Starting with this music hall opening concert (with 150 seats), the city will host performances at least once a week, including string orchestras (about 15 members), chamber ensembles, and solo recitals. Scheduled performances include: September 11 (Lisus Quartet), September 16 (Seoul Virtuosi), September 21 (Tango Quintet Fuego), and September 27 (Park Haerim and Jung Yechang Piano Duo).

Applications to attend can be made through the Seongnam City Hall website (Integrated Reservation → Application Submission), and attendees for each concert will be selected by lottery.

Poster for Seongnam Mulbit Garden Music Hall Performance Schedule from September to December. Provided by Seongnam City

The Seongnam Mulbit Garden Music Hall is a remodeled building that was formerly the intake pump building of the old sewage treatment plant.

It consists of one basement floor, one above-ground floor, and a total floor area of 881 square meters. The space has been transformed into a vibrant cultural venue featuring a cafe, instrument storage, and practice rooms.

The former sewage treatment plant, now home to the music hall, was constructed by Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), with construction beginning in 1994 and completion in 1997. However, due to opposition from nearby residents during test operations, the facility was shut down and left unused for 28 years.

In response, the city pursued a plan to transform the entire site (totaling 29,041 square meters) into a cultural and relaxation space, creating the Dumulgil walking trail (opened June 13) and the new music hall.

As a long-term project, the city also plans to attract a world-class art museum to this site.

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