'Where Will We Go Tomorrow?' Seoul's Senior Cinema 'Youth Theatre' Closes After 15 Years
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Seoul’s senior-only cinema and performance venue 'Youth Theatre' (Cheongchun Geukjang), which opened in 2010 and charged a symbolic 2,000 won admission, held a farewell event on Dec 31, 2025 as it ends 15 years of operation due to budget cuts and a private operator’s contract termination. The venue—known for screening classic films and hosting live nostalgic music shows featuring stars like Namjin and the late Song Hae—drew large crowds of older patrons who valued its low cost, familiar atmosphere, and chance to socialize. Attendance had grown to over 50,000 in 2024, and the final day sold out early with about 450 seniors attending. City officials say future programming will shift toward hands-on classes ('Anyone’s Youth Stage') where seniors learn instruments and acting, but patrons worry that many will not join such active programs and that film screening rights and performer connections will be lost. Experts urge tailored welfare policies recognizing that many older men prefer anonymous, passive communal spaces like a silver cinema where they can comfortably enjoy nostalgia and meet peers.
