From the moment we approach the stage to see a performance, to the steps we take out of the theatre after the lights go down, we breathe in culture within the singular space that is Daehangno. Yet this neighbourhood, steeped in the memories of so many, was forced to undergo profound change in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Countless small theatres and artists left Daehangno as the pandemic took its toll; the rapid rise of OTT streaming services reshaped the media landscape; and as audiences continued to gravitate toward large-budget commercial productions, the fine arts and small-theatre culture that had long formed the backbone of the Daehangno ecosystem found themselves steadily squeezed.
To overcome this crisis and restore the cultural vitality unique to Daehangno, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture has embarked on a bold new initiative. It is called the 'Dae-Rak-Ro (大樂路)' campaign — an effort to redefine Daehangno not as "a place you visit briefly for a show and then leave," but as "a space where you linger before and after a performance, enjoying the city and its culture together." The campaign puts forward a fresh paradigm for audiences: "A performance may last two hours, but your cultural experience in Daehangno can stretch to six" — with the overarching aim of rebranding the entire district as a compelling cultural destination.
At the heart of the Dae-Rak-Ro campaign are two programmes designed to enrich the experience before and after a performance: 'Seasonal Theatre' and 'After Theatre.' 'Seasonal Theatre' is a showcase programme built around the evocative idea that "the season for theatre is right now, the moment it takes the stage." Before a production officially opens, key scenes and storylines are presented to audiences in the form of a mini showcase, stoking anticipation and excitement for the full run.
Seasonal Theatre opens with 'The Theatre Runs!', a world-premiere original work capturing over ninety years of Koryo-saram history and the poignant lives of its performing artists. It is followed by a lineup of richly layered productions — 'The Good Woman of Setzuan', 'The Trial of Kafka', 'The Overcoat', and 'Proliferating Mold' — all primed to heat up Daehangno's stages on the eve of their runs. Seasonal Theatre operates not merely as advance publicity, but as an open platform through which any theatre or arts organisation active in Daehangno can freely apply to participate, offering local creators a new arena of opportunity.
For audiences who want to sit with the deep impression a performance leaves behind, there is 'After Theatre' — a late-night cultural space that comes alive after the curtain falls. Every Saturday at 10 p.m., as performances let out, audiences gather at cultural hubs across Daehangno, including the Seoul Theatre Centre, to form a kind of cultural salon. Music, talk, and performance converge in this space, giving audiences the freedom to share and exchange their individual responses to the work they have just seen.
The opening night of After Theatre features electronic musician KIRARA, a Korean Music Award winner, who sets a vibrant, festive tone for the series. From there, a varied programme of themed events unfolds through December, each attuned to the season. Highlights include a late-night ghost-story radio theatre to send a chill down your spine on a summer night, and Gidamsalon, where eerie tales mingle with live band music — all set to light up Daehangno after dark.
The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture's Dae-Rak-Ro campaign is far more than a one-off event. To help the campaign take root and foster solidarity within the community, the brand identity (BI) design has been made fully open to the public, allowing small theatres and arts organisations throughout Daehangno to use it freely in their own promotional and affiliated programming. The campaign also offers a range of distinctive participatory content for audiences to engage with on their own terms — among them 'Electronic Shakespeare', in which an AI writes a new script based on stories submitted by audience members, and 'Character Sommelier', which helps you find the theatrical character that best matches your tastes and personality — creating a richer, more multidimensional experience overall.
Daehangno is a rare and precious cultural asset — one of the most concentrated theatre districts anywhere in the world, and the very roots of Korea's performing arts. The 'Dae-Rak-Ro' campaign serves as the catalyst for reviving a small-theatre culture that had been in retreat, while gifting audiences a six-hour cultural journey that adds genuine joy to everyday life. From the flutter of anticipation before a show to the late-night hours spent sharing its lingering resonance, a new chapter for Daehangno — one filled once again with warmth, pleasure, and art — is drawing near.
