"There are no suitable works to perform. It’s economically challenging to stay in the theater industry, so talented writers are leaving," said industry experts during the third meeting of the Theater Subcommittee of the Cultural Arts Policy Advisory Committee held on June 9 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno, Seoul.
The subcommittee, which operates under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, aims to convey the voices of creators, producers, actors, and associations in the field.
Committee member and actor Lee Gi-young emphasized the need to break the cycle of relying on classic works due to the lack of new productions. "Finding new works is incredibly difficult," he stated, adding that even if a performance occurs, it is hard for writers to receive payment, prompting many talented authors to leave the theater scene. He urged for the activation of competitions to allow selected works to be performed, criticizing the continued focus on classics that are often outdated and unengaging.
There were also calls for the simultaneous promotion of production company competitions alongside play competitions. Committee member Kim Soo-ro suggested that publicly recruiting teams to produce selected works through competitions could open new avenues for production.
Voices advocating for a redefined role of public theaters, such as the National Theater Company, were also raised. Park Jung-mi, representative of Park Company, argued that public theaters should avoid the same production methods as private ones, such as relying on foreign classics or star marketing. She stressed that public theater productions should serve as a source of inspiration and a platform to discover talented staff and actors.
Additionally, attendees highlighted the need for integrated policies that connect support for creation, production, theaters, and audiences, ensuring that new initiatives do not overlap with existing support programs.
Concerns were also expressed about the outflow of talent to countries like Japan and Singapore. Lee Gi-young noted that Japan has committed to supporting 50% of film production costs, up to 15 billion won, warning that the trend of talented individuals leaving the content industry for overseas opportunities is accelerating. He mentioned that current drama productions are collaborating with the Singapore government for support, which could lead to the loss of outstanding directors to foreign markets.
The Ministry of Culture plans to foster excellent works that can be performed for extended periods to expand the audience base for theater. It is also accelerating preparations for the 2027 ASSITEJ World Congress, the most prestigious international event in the field of children's and youth theater, which was confirmed to be hosted in Korea during the 2024 congress in Cuba.
Moreover, an 'International Performing Arts Festival' featuring 35 domestic and international productions is scheduled to take place in Suwon from July 24 to August 1 of the same year, with the Ministry planning to support the event in collaboration with the ASSITEJ Korea headquarters and Suwon City.
Minister Choi Hwi-young remarked, "The biggest burden for the theater industry is the rental fees for venues," and stated that efforts are underway to expand theater infrastructure while prioritizing support for these fees. He also mentioned plans to encourage more active use of the Arko stage by private entities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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