Ticket Platforms Battle for Daehangno: Three Players Enter Theater Management
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Three major Korean ticketing platforms—NOL Universe (operating NOL Ticket), YES24, and NHN Link—are now operating theaters in Daehangno, Seoul’s historic performing-arts district, sparking a competitive “three-way” landscape. NOL Universe recently opened NOL Theater Daehangno by renovating a long-vacant musical center, offering two halls (935 and 490 seats) including the largest main house in Daehangno. YES24 entered earlier with multiple venues branded YES24 Stage and YES24 Artone, linking performances to its broader book-and-culture business. NHN Link runs TicketLink and has remodeled venues like LinkArc Center and signed naming rights for Dream Art Center, plus plans a new mixed-use cultural space. Industry voices say platform-backed capital could boost marketing, production support, and audience experiences, but some producers worry about higher rental fees or platform-imposed conditions. Calls are growing for transparent, mutually beneficial arrangements between platforms and production companies to preserve Daehangno’s creative ecosystem.
