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Changes in first-rate theater in Seoul in the 1950s and the dynamics of the film industry. - Focusing on relationships with foreign film importers

  • The Journal of Korean drama and theatre
  • 2021, (72), pp.71-98
  • DOI : 10.17938/tjkdat.2021..72.71
  • Publisher : The Learned Society Of Korean Drama And Theatre
  • Research Area : Arts and Kinesiology > Other Arts and Kinesiology
  • Received : May 12, 2021
  • Accepted : June 1, 2021
  • Published : June 30, 2021

Lee, Gil-sung 1

1고려대학교 한국사연구소

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the concrete aspects of the reorganization of theater space in Seoul in the second half of the 1950s and discuss the industrial dynamics that drove this change. Research on the industrial aspect of theater research is not very active because it is difficult to access theater industry-related data and has not been noticed in previous research. This study aims to examine the development of the Korean film industry that was completely transformed in less than a decade during the 1950s and assess the significance of these changes in theaters. First, starting in the mid-1950s, the old management began to be replaced by new personnel, who built their capital through foreign film imports or film production and had experience in these fields. They transformed theaters in diverse ways and created a new theater culture by first creating movie theaters, which were once gain divided into two groups—Korean film theaters and foreign film theatersFirst of all, an important change in a first-rate theater in Seoul in the mid-1950s was the disappearance of the performance and the transformation into a movie theater. The process came along with a situation in which existing owner, who lacked industrial economic power, were replaced by new financial resources, such as foreign film importers. And the smooth supply and demand of films played an important role as foreign film imports increased. While Danseongsa and Capital Theater, based on major foreign film importers, were reorganizing around film programs, Kukdo Theater, which was not supported by strong foreign film importers, suffered financial difficulties and eventually changed its theater owner in 1957. And in a situation where the supply and demand of foreign film continued to be relatively poor, Kukdo Theater became the first theater to move to a Korean movie theater. The second major change occurred in the late 1950s. Three large-scale first-run theaters were newly built in Seoul, and the number of medium-sized theaters increased. The theater industry was reorganized again with the separation of Korean and foreign movie theaters. The Kukdo Theater, which was suffering from financial difficulties, was the first Korean film theater, followed by the Capital Theater, which faced financial difficulties due to excessive business expansion. The new theaters were also divided into domestic movie theaters and foreign film theaters, while Daehan Theater, which was purchased by Segi Corporation, the largest foreign film importer, continued to gain fame as foreign film theaters. The International Theater benefited greatly from the success of Korean films since 1958, and has become a Korean film theater with Sunmin Film Company as its subsidiary. The changes of the theater industry that took place in the late 1950s, affected greatly to the foreign film import policies and industrial change of foreign film importer. For this, a closer examination is required. But Little research of South Korean manufacturer and distributor, foreign film importer in 1950s has been done and the approach of industry data and offices data on the corresponding period is not easy, too. Despite these limitations, however, It is clear that this industrial change in the discussion of Korean film history should be reconsidered again with a broader perspective.

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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