Dansungsa

Dansungsa was a historic cinema in Seoul and an important institution in the development of Korean film exhibition. Established in 1907 during the Korean Empire period, it began as a single-screen, two-story wooden theater in the Jongno 3-ga area, a district that later became closely associated with Seoul's cultural and commercial life. For much of the twentieth century, Dansungsa was regarded as one of Korea's principal movie theaters and a prestigious venue for important domestic film screenings. The theater is particularly associated with the early history of Korean cinema. On October 27, 1919, it hosted the premiere of Righteous Revenge, a kino-drama commonly described as the first Korean movie. Dansungsa later presented major works including Na Woon-gyu's Arirang in 1926 and Chunhyangjeon in 1935. These screenings helped establish the theater as more than a commercial entertainment venue: it became a visible public site for the emergence of Korean film culture. During the period of Japanese colonial rule, Dansungsa was among the small number of theaters showing Korean films, alongside Umikwan and Chosun Theater. Its cultural significance was formally recognized in 1963, when the South Korean government designated October 27 as Korea Film Day. The date commemorated the 1919 premiere of Righteous Revenge and honored the contribution of the country's early Korean-film theaters. Dansungsa continued to attract large audiences for decades, with long queues and ticket scalpers reportedly becoming familiar features of popular screenings. In 1993, the theater hosted the premiere of Seopyeonje, which became the first South Korean film to attract more than one million viewers. Dansungsa's traditional theater model weakened as competition intensified, particularly after multiplex cinemas expanded throughout South Korea during the 1990s. In an effort to adapt, the venue underwent a prolonged renovation between 2001 and 2005. The redevelopment created a ten-screen multiplex with seating for 1,802 people. It reopened in 2005 through a partnership with Cinus under the name Cinus Dansungsa, but the modernization did not restore financial stability. The theater failed to recover its renovation investment and recorded losses of 11 billion won in 2007. In 2008, it was unable to repay a 1.5 billion won loan from Woori Bank and entered bankruptcy proceedings. The cinema continued screening films for a period after the bankruptcy, but the building was ultimately converted into a conventional office property in 2010. Its commercial use later included jewelry retail, ending Dansungsa's role as an operating movie theater. The building's historical identity was revived in 2019 when a museum dedicated to Dansungsa opened on October 23. The museum was associated with the centenary of the Korean film industry and preserved the theater's connection to the origins of Korean cinema. Dansungsa is therefore best understood today as a defunct cinema brand and heritage site rather than an active theater operator. Although it was once widely called Korea's oldest movie theater, more recent historical accounts have attributed that distinction to Ae Kwan Theater in Incheon, founded in 1895.

Dansungsa was established in 1907 in the Jongno 3-ga area of Seoul, then part of the Korean Empire. Its original structure was a two-story wooden building containing a single screen. The theater developed during a period when film exhibition was becoming a new form of urban entertainment, and it subsequently became one of the most prominent venues in the Korean cinema world. Its historical importance is closely tied to early Korean film. On October 27, 1919, Dansungsa presented the premiere of Righteous Revenge, a kino-drama generally treated in historical accounts as the first Korean movie. The theater later hosted the 1926 premiere of Na Woon-gyu's Arirang, a landmark of Korean silent cinema, and the 1935 premiere of Chunhyangjeon. During Japanese colonial rule, Dansungsa was one of the few Seoul theaters known for showing Korean films, together with Umikwan and Chosun Theater. This made it a significant public venue for the development and circulation of Korean-language cinema. For several decades after liberation, Dansungsa retained considerable prestige. It was associated with major premieres and popular screenings, and accounts of its heyday describe long lines and ticket scalpers. Its role was recognized by the South Korean government in 1963, when October 27 was designated Korea Film Day. The date referred to the first screening of Righteous Revenge at Dansungsa and celebrated both Korean filmmaking and the theaters that had supported it during the colonial period. The theater remained culturally relevant into the 1990s. In 1993, it hosted the premiere of Seopyeonje, which became the first South Korean film reported to attract more than one million viewers. At the same time, however, the economics of cinema exhibition were changing. Multiplex operators offered larger complexes, more screens, and modern facilities, putting pressure on traditional single-site theaters. Dansungsa's popularity and revenues declined as competition increased. Between 2001 and 2005, the property underwent a major conversion intended to make it competitive as a multiplex. The redevelopment produced ten screens and total seating capacity of 1,802. In 2005 the venue reopened in partnership with Cinus as Cinus Dansungsa. The investment did not generate sufficient returns. The theater recorded 11 billion won in losses in 2007 and subsequently experienced difficulty meeting its financial obligations. In 2008, it failed to repay a 1.5 billion won loan from Woori Bank and went bankrupt. Although film screenings continued temporarily, the building was ultimately converted into a regular office property in 2010. The premises later accommodated jewelry sales, and Dansungsa ceased to operate as a cinema. The site's historical meaning was partially restored in 2019, when the building's owner, Young An Hat Co., announced and opened a museum dedicated to Dansungsa. The museum opened on October 23, in connection with the centenary of the Korean film industry. Dansungsa was once commonly described as Korea's oldest movie theater. More recent historical assessments have challenged that description, pointing to Ae Kwan Theater in Incheon, founded in 1895, as an earlier cinema venue. Even with that qualification, Dansungsa remains one of the country's most important historic theaters because of its long operating history, its association with foundational Korean films, and its role in the public memory of Korean cinema.

1. 2019Dansungsa museum opens

   A museum dedicated to the theater opened in the building on October 23.

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2. 2010Cinema building converted to offices

   The former theater building was converted into a regular office property and later used for jewelry retail.

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3. 2008Bankruptcy

   Dansungsa went bankrupt after failing to repay a loan and absorb the cost of its unsuccessful multiplex redevelopment.

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4. 2005Cinus Dansungsa reopening

   The renovated venue reopened with ten screens and 1,802 seats through a partnership with Cinus.

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5. 2001Multiplex renovation begins

   A major renovation began to convert the traditional theater into a modern multiplex.

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6. 1993Seopyeonje premiere

   Seopyeonje premiered at Dansungsa and became the first South Korean film to draw more than one million viewers.

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7. 1963Korea Film Day established

   October 27 was designated Korea Film Day in recognition of the early Korean film industry and Dansungsa's 1919 premiere.

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8. 1935Chunhyangjeon premiere

   Chunhyangjeon became another notable film to premiere at the theater.

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9. 1926Arirang premiere

   Na Woon-gyu's Korean folk film Arirang premiered at Dansungsa.

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10. 1919Premiere of Righteous Revenge

    The theater hosted the October 27 premiere of Righteous Revenge, a kino-drama widely regarded as the first Korean movie.

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11. 1907Theater established in Seoul

    Dansungsa was established as a single-screen, two-story wooden movie theater in the Jongno 3-ga area of Seoul.

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A historically significant Korean cinema and cultural landmark that evolved from an early single-screen theater into a multiplex before closing as a commercial cinema.

• Traditional single-screen cinemaCinema exhibition1907

  Dansungsa originally operated as a single-screen, two-story wooden movie theater. Its principal offering was public film exhibition, and the venue became an important location for Korean-language premieres and popular screenings during the first half of the twentieth century.

• Cinus Dansungsa multiplexMultiplex cinema2005

  The renovated theater reopened in 2005 as Cinus Dansungsa. The multiplex contained ten screens and had seating capacity for 1,802 people. It represented an attempt to modernize the historic venue in response to the rapid growth of multiplex competition in South Korea.

• Dansungsa MuseumFilm heritage museum2019

  A museum dedicated to Dansungsa opened in the former theater building in 2019. It preserves and presents the site's historical association with the origins and development of Korean cinema, although it is not an operating cinema product.

• 2008Cinema operations wound down after bankruptcyOther

  The multiplex investment did not produce an adequate return, and Dansungsa could not repay a loan from Woori Bank.

  What changed. The theater entered bankruptcy and announced that film screenings would continue temporarily before the building was converted to office use.

  Aftermath. The conversion was completed in 2010, ending Dansungsa's operation as a commercial movie theater.

  Unpaid loan. 1.5 billion won loan in default (2008)

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• 2001Conversion from traditional theater to multiplexStrategy

  Dansungsa faced declining popularity and increasing competition from multiplex cinemas during the 1990s.

  What changed. The building was renovated between 2001 and 2005 to create a ten-screen multiplex with 1,802 seats, later operated in partnership with Cinus.

  Aftermath. The redevelopment failed to recover its investment. The theater reported 11 billion won in losses in 2007 and entered bankruptcy in 2008.

  Reported loss. 11 billion won loss (2007)

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• 2019Dansungsa museum opens in the former theater building

  A museum dedicated to Dansungsa opened in the building on October 23, preserving the site's connection with the centenary of Korean cinema.

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• 2008Dansungsa enters bankruptcy after loan default

  Following substantial renovation losses, the theater failed to repay a loan from Woori Bank and went bankrupt. Plans were announced to end cinema operations and convert the building to office use.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2005Dansungsa reopens as Cinus Dansungsa

  After a major renovation, the venue reopened as a ten-screen multiplex through a partnership with Cinus.

  Product launch
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• 1993Seopyeonje premieres at Dansungsa

  The theater hosted the premiere of Seopyeonje, identified as the first South Korean film to exceed one million viewers.

  Product launch
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• 1963South Korea designates October 27 as Korea Film Day

  The government selected the anniversary of Righteous Revenge's premiere at Dansungsa as Korea Film Day, recognizing the early Korean film industry and the theaters that screened domestic films.

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• 1919Dansungsa hosts the premiere of Righteous Revenge

  Dansungsa hosted the October 27 premiere of Righteous Revenge, a kino-drama widely associated with the beginnings of Korean cinema.

  Product launch
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1. Dansungsa