Discounted Tickets for Teachers, Students
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Unsold tickets to cultural events will be sold at discounted prices to students and teachers starting next year, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon said Thursday.
During a meeting with cultural industry officials at a cafe in Daehangno, Yu said students and teachers would be able to buy discounted tickets to watch cultural performances and concerts. The tickets will be discounted by 20-30 percent, and sold on the day of the performance. This is meant to give more opportunities for young students to enjoy arts and the theater.
This is similar to New York's Theater Development Fund-run discount booths that offer tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays, with as much as 50 percent discounts.
The Arts Council Korea's Sarang Ticket will operate the system. Sarang Ticket is a membership service that provides discounts for cultural performances.
The introduction of student discount tickets is expected to increase revenues and improve the popularity of local shows.
Due to the difficult domestic economic situation, efforts to attract more people to watch plays, musicals and concerts are facing problems. Yu said it was important to develop potential future audiences such as children and teenagers.
Next year, the ministry will allocate 12.5 billion won for the development of cultural events, which includes new programs for underprivileged students as well as musical and performance festivals.