LG Arts Center celebrates successful first year in new location

Music & Performance

Published: 01 Nov. 2023, 09:36

LG Arts Center celebrates successful first year in new location

LG Arts Center CEO Lee Hyun-jung [LG ARTS CENTER]

There were concerns about the relocation of the LG Arts Center in October last year as the center left behind its cozy spot of 22 years, nestled among other major arts centers.

Despite initial concerns about the move from Yeoksam-dong in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, to Magok-dong in Gangseo District, western Seoul, Lee Hyun-jung, the CEO of LG Arts Center, celebrated its first anniversary of relocation with decent results.

LG Arts Center staged “Giselle” by the Paris Opera Ballet last year after its relocation from Yeoksam-dong in Gangnam District, southern Seoul to Magok-dong in Gangseo District, western Seoul. [LG ARTS CENTER]

“The most talked about performance [since its relocation] was ‘Giselle’ by the Paris Opera Ballet. There’s more. A grand theater with 1,300 seats is rarely sold out for a month, but when we staged the theatrical performance 'Faust' featuring actor Park Hae-soo, the show sold 98 percent of its tickets,” Lee said. The play also featured veteran actor Yu In-chon, who was appointed as the new culture minister three weeks ago.

LG Arts Center was moved to its current site, shared by the Seoul Botanic Park, on Oct. 13 last year. Since then, the arts center has staged 31 performances, amassing 290,000 audience members.

With the relocation, the arts center saw a whopping 41-percent increase in the number of visitors compared to a year ago. The newly built arts center also garnered attention as it is one of the two concert halls designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The other concert hall designed by Ando is located in Shanghai, China.

LG Arts Center Seoul in Gangseo Dsitrict, western Seoul, was designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. It will open on Oct. 13. [BAE JIN-HUN, LG ARTS CENTER]

The building was surely a selling point. About 250,000 people visited the arts center not for performances but to look around the building or take part in art programs.

All included, the arts center greeted 540,000 visitors in its first year.

During a recent interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, Lee said, “With the relocation, we saw more visitors coming from outside the metropolitan areas. The proportion of the people coming from non-metropolitan areas was 13 percent, which is double the number of non-metropolitans we had while we were in Yeoksam-dong. With the Airport Railroad Express, it takes just 20 minutes to get from Seoul Station to Magok-dong.

“Since the arts center has gotten much bigger, we tried to diversify our offerings by staging large-scale operas and ballet performances. Another strategy that worked was having performances by singers such as Lena Park, a magic show by Lee Eun-gyeol, and showings of Akram Khan Company’s ‘Jungle Book Reimagined’ to appeal to a broader range of people.”

The main hall LG Signature has 1,335 seats. It can stage performances of various arts genres as well as a full orchestra concert. [BAE JIN-HUN, LG ARTS CENTER]

“Jungle Book Reimagined” introduces the history of contemporary dance in an easy and fun way.

The arts center did prove able to attract more visitors despite moving to a less populated area of Seoul, though it had attempted other changes before its decision to move. When it opened its center for the first time in Yeoksam–dong in 2000, it went against the common practice of giving away invitation tickets. It also adopted various purchase options for the convenience of visitors such as the introduction of ticket package deals. Ticket packages allow buyers to choose to see multiple performances for discounted prices. It also premiered “The Phantom of the Opera” in 2001.

Lee first joined the arts center 27 years ago, in 1996, and has mostly been working with performance planning teams. She was appointed as the CEO in December 2021 prior to the center’s relocation.

“As long as the programs are good enough, I realized people would come and watch performances wherever we are,” Lee said.

Responding to some negative comments that the arts center in its new location is not successful in terms of hosting large-scale shows compared to the past, Lee said, “It was not easy to invite blockbuster performances due to Covid-19.”

Lee also talked about some other criticism the arts center recently faced.

Theatrical performance “Faust” featuring actor Park Hae-soo [LG ARTS CENTER]

“Faust” was not as well-received as expected, and “Creator’s Box,” a new project in which LG Arts Center joined hands with up-and-coming directors, also came under fire for being less than perfect.

“If the failure could be the foundation for the next good performance, I think we’d better accept it with patience,” Lee said.

In wrapping up the interview, Lee added that one of her long-term goals is “to play original performances produced by ourselves at performance halls or festivals abroad.”

A view of LG Arts Center Seoul's Tube from outside [BAE JIN-HUN, LG ARTS CENTER]

The Tube inside the building acts as a 80-meter (262-foot) bridge. [BAE JIN-HUN, LG ARTS CENTER]

Lee said a global theatrical performance, directed by a famed director, is underway and will be unveiled at LG Arts Center sometime in the near future.

“The initial goal of the arts center in its first year in Magok-dong was developing more audience bases. But in the second year, we will be in search of our own colors,” Lee said.

BY NA WON-JEONG [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]