What Kind of Place Is a Theater? Architecture Poses the Question

Co-curated by the Korean Film Archive and CAC
Tracing architectural changes from single-screen theaters to multiplexes

Myeongbo Theater construction site/Korean Film Archive.

An exhibition exploring the significance of theaters in the streaming era through the history of architecture is opening. Titled "On Screen, Off Screen: Korean Theater Architecture," it is presented by the Korean Film Archive in collaboration with Curating Architecture Collective (CAC) at the Korean Film Museum on November 13. The exhibition looks back at theater architecture as it has evolved alongside Korean society, from single-screen theaters to multiplexes and new kinds of screening spaces. Through video, photographs, interviews and archival materials, it asks what theaters have been beyond mere screening venues.

At the heart of the exhibition is the "black box," the original space of the theater. Two videos are screened in rotation on a pair of screens facing each other: "And in the Other Darkness (2026)" by director Baek Jongkwan, which weaves together theater scenes from Korean films, and "Next Pro (2026)" by artist Baek Yunseok, which traces the passage of time shared by theaters and Korean society. A small opening resembling a projection booth window is set into the wall. Beyond it, artist Hyun Dahye's photographic work "Faces" is shown as a projection. The work captures scenes from seven theaters across the country.

From left: stills from "Next Program," "And in the Other Darkness," and "Faces" / Korean Film Archive.

While the space itself reveals the inside and outside of theaters, the "People Shaped by Theaters" section shares personal memories connected to them. Actor Kim Doyeon, who won the Best New Actress award at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards for "Ameba Girls and the School Ghost Story: School Anniversary (2024)," and director Park Chanwook talk about what kind of spaces theaters were for them and how their experiences there have stayed with them in life and film. Poster designer Choi Jiwoong and writer Kim Sinhyung, author of the essay collection "Long Ago, in an Old Theater," also took part in interviews.

The evolution of theater architecture is explored through three video essays in the "Times That Built Theaters: A Commentary on Korean Cinema Architecture" section. A researcher of single-screen theaters, an architect involved in multiplex design, and a community screening organizer discuss the spatial characteristics and changes of movie theaters from their respective perspectives. Photographs of actual theaters, architectural plans and newspaper articles accompany the interviews. Following the transition from single-screen theaters to multiplexes and community screenings, the section shows how these changes relate to shifts in moviegoing habits and society's perceptions of space.

Myungbo Plaza / Korean Film Archive, which reopened in June 1994 with six screens.

The exhibition runs through February 27, 2027, and is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.