Seodaemun Art Hall

Seodaemun Art Hall opened in 1964 as Hwayang Theater.[1] In its early years the theater screened classic Hollywood films such as Ben-Hur and The Sound of Music, and in the 1980s was a hotspot for Hong Kong cinema, hosting premieres and drawing actors such as Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat.[1][2] It went into decline with the increasing popularity of multiplex movie theaters, and despite changing its name to Dream Cinema in 1999, this attempt to rebrand its image was unsuccessful.[1] In recent years the theater has been limited to screening free previews or films that are long past their opening dates.[1][2] As of 2008, Seodaemun Art Hall was the last remaining single screen movie theater in Seoul.[2]

With plans to redevelop the area and the building facing demolition, Seodaemun Art Hall announced in October 2007 that it would be closing.[1] To give the theater an appropriate farewell, Kim Eun-joo, the head of Seodaemun Art Hall, invested ₩100 million in upgrading the movie screen and sound system for the purpose of screening her favourite film, Dirty Dancing, for which she translated subtitles herself.[2] The theater was given a retro 1980s look, and a 24 m (79 ft) hand painted advertising board for the film was created to decorate the entrance.[2] Painted by local artist Kim Young-jun, the board took him and his assistants one week to complete.[1]

Dirty Dancing opened at Seodaemun Art Hall in November 2007, and with low priced tickets costing ₩3,500 it attracted 700 to 1,000 viewers per day, several times more than the theater's average audience numbers.[1] The popularity of the screening allowed the film's run to extend into early 2008.[2] Although the theater still remains due to close, it has continued to screen films throughout the year, with a re-release of Hong Kong film A Better Tomorrow opening on 8 August 2008.[3]

As of 2012, Seodaemun Art Hall is demolished.[4]

Seodaemun Art Hall is located directly outside exit 8 of Seodaemun Station on Seoul Subway Line 5.[2]

• "Korea’s last one-screen theater about to close" (with audio)
• "When the Lights Dim: A Film Projectionist's Story" (with video)
• "A painted poster for last film on the screen in the last monoplex cinema in Seoul"