Dansungsa
Dansungsa (Korean: 단성사) was one of Korea's earliest and most historic movie theaters. It was first established in 1907, during the Korean Empire period, in what is now Jongno 3-ga, Seoul. It was once widely believed to be the oldest movie theater in Korea, but in recent years, that title is now thought to belong to Ae Kwan Theater, which was founded in Incheon in 1895.
| Dansungsa | |
|---|---|
The building c. 1937 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Donhwamunro26 Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 37°34′15.36″N 126°59′32.66″E |
| Opened | 1907 |
| Closed | 2010 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 단성사 |
| Hanja | 團成社 |
| Revised Romanization | Danseongsa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Tansŏngsa |
The theater held a position of prominence in Korean society for many decades. However, by the 1980s, it saw declining popularity and increasing competition. After the rise of multiplex movie theaters in the 1990s, the theater made an attempt to convert into one itself, but failed to recoup on its investments. In 2010, it was converted into a regular office building, after the company that owned it went bankrupt. The current building in its place now sells jewelry. In 2019, a museum dedicated to the theater was opened in the building.