National Theater of Korea was established as the first national theater in Asia on April 29, 1950. At the time, the theater was a public hall located on Taepyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, and the first director of the theater was Yu Chi-jin. They founded the National Drama Company with the establishment of the theater under the banner of the establishment and creation of national drama art, and the company put on the historical drama, Wonsulrang, to commemorate the establishment of the company on April 30. The theater moved to Munhwa Theater in Daegu during the Korean War and returned to Seoul on June 1, 1957 and used the municipal hall in Myeong-dong as its exclusive theater. Afterwards, the theater established organizations attached to it such as The National Changgeuk Company Of Korea, the National Dance Company, and Korea National Opera on January 15, 1962. The theater fully renovated the municipal hall’s facilities in March 1962 to fully function as an art theater. In the mid 1960’s, the government announced the ‘Comprehensive National Culture Center’ centering on Namsan Mountain, the construction of the theater was approved, and the construction of the National Theater of Korea at Namsan Mountain begin in 1967 and ended August 1973, and the theater opened in October. The newly constructed national theater was 1,320 ㎡, 8 times larger than the old one in Myeong-dong, and it was a mammoth art theater with the latest facilities such as the turning stage and the sliding stage. Following the opening of the new building in Namsan Mountain, the theater founded Korea National Ballet and The National Chorus of Korea in May 1973, and presented ‘Great Admiral Yi Sun-shin’ in commemoration of the opening of the new building. The theater underwent a large-scale renovation and expansion in the 2000’s, and it opened Studio Byeol in 2001 and Small Hall Dal in 2005, and named and opened the outdoor theater, Haneul Theater in 2002. The theater underwent another full-scale renovation in 2004 and renamed and opened the grand theater, Main Hall Hae. By this, the national theater comprised the Main Hall Hae, Small Hall Dal, Studio Byeol which changes the stage depending on the characteristics of the performance, and the outdoor amphitheater theater Haneul Theater. Currently, the National Theater of Korea has 4 departments including Management Support Department, Performing Arts Planning Department, Stage Arts Department, and Education and Exhibition Department and operates 3 organizations such as National Changgeuk Company of Korea, National Dance Company of Korea, and National Orchestra of Korea. The typical programs of the theater include Concert at Noon, National Theater Go Go Go, National Brand Performance, Youth Performing Arts Festival, and International National Theater Festival.

• location 59, Jangchungdan-ro (San 14-67, Jangchung-dong 2-ga), Jung-gu, Seo