Daehan Theater Closes Down

Chungmuro's Daehan Theater, which served as a center of cinema culture in Seoul, is to end its 45 years of history and close down on May 21. A source from the theater said, "The theater will be demolished because we come to realize it is impossible to compete with the multiplex theaters. They can accomodate several screens in more pleasant surroundings." Daehan Theater will undergo a two-year reconstruction into a mutiplex boasting eight screens.

Daehan Theater opened in 1956 as the biggest theater in Korea with 2,000 seats. While it has enjoyed a shorter history compared to neigboring Dansungsa and Kukdo theaters, the fact that it uniquely offered a 70mm widescreen made it extremely popular. Classic movies such as 'Ben Hur', 'Lawrence of Arabia', 'Gone with the Wind' and 'The Killing Fields' have all been screened at this theater. With this in mind, it would be true to say that Daehan Theater is more than just a theater to its loyal fans, and is thought of instead as one of Korea's valued 'cultural remains'.

by Jung Jae-wal