Behind the Scenes: New National Theater Exhibition Lets Visitors Experience Korean Stage Production
Creatrip Team
a month ago
The National Theater Performing Arts Museum opened a permanent exhibition and a special show, STAGE: RE-PLAY, at the Paju Stage Arts Support Center on June 30 (trial until July 30; formal opening August 1). The permanent exhibit traces Korean performing arts from modernization to today, displaying historical materials like program books, posters, dance costumes, and even a robot used in traditional music performances. Interactive elements let visitors listen to old phonograph records, stamp 1960s posters, and explore careers in the arts. The special exhibition follows the production process beyond the audience seats, featuring works such as a national changgeuk (Korean traditional opera) staging of The Merchant of Venice and the inclusive music drama Gongsaeng,won. Visitors can watch motion-graphic scenes, wear costumes and props on stage, tour backstage, and try real set pieces and lighting/sound consoles to learn technical aspects of production. The museum, founded in 2009 and temporarily relocated to Paju in 2024, operates Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with free admission.
