Junhyuk S.
Google
I’ve been to the National Theater of Korea a few times now. I watched La Traviata last September, Joyous Resonance in January, and L’italiana in Algeri in February. Each show was different, but they all had that moment when the lights dim, the orchestra begins, and the whole room breathes together. That’s the part I love most.
The theater is one of the biggest in Korea. It went through a renovation in 2021, and it looks great. The halls are clean, the seats are comfortable, and everything feels new. Still, I think a great theater needs more than just a nice building. It needs warmth. It needs to feel like a place made for people, not just for performances.
If you are planning to visit with kids, there is something you should know. Getting there is not easy. The theater sits halfway up Namsan Mountain, right in the middle of Seoul but far from the subway. The nearest station, Dongguk University on Line 3, is not within walking distance. You have to take a bus, usually number 420. Now, imagine yourself holding your child and a bag while standing on a crowded bus on your way to an opera. You will probably be tired before you even get there.
That is why I think accessibility matters. A public theater should welcome people from the moment they decide to come, not make them wonder how to reach it.
Once you are inside, things get better. The space feels open and organized. There are four floors, labeled L, 1, 2, and 3. Each one has vending machines for water and soft drinks. On the L floor, there is a restaurant called Central Yunit. It looks comfortable and has many seats, although it seems a bit expensive. There is also a KB Bank ATM nearby, which is convenient.
The box office is on the 1st floor, which feels like the 2nd floor if you are used to the American floor system. There is a small café that sells sandwiches and coffee, and the box office opens one hour before the show. The staff are calm and polite. You can leave your coat in the cloakroom across from the counter. They put a numbered sticker on the back of your ticket so you can pick it up easily after the show.
There are plenty of seats for intermission, and the atmosphere stays quiet and comfortable. After the performance, shuttle buses take people back to Dongguk University Station and Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station. If you miss one, another comes in about twenty minutes.
Yes, getting there takes effort, but once you sit down and the music starts, you forget about all of that. The voices rise, the stage glows, and for a while, everything else fades away. That is the beauty of live performance, and it is why I keep coming back.
