Sejong Center in Gwanghwamun offers backstage tours for foreign visitors

Most audiences experience a performance from the auditorium, with little sense of what happens behind the scenes. A new program at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts offers a rare opportunity to step inside.

The Sejong Center said it will introduce a backstage tour program for international visitors, granting access to areas of one of the city’s largest cultural venues that are typically off-limits to the public.

The Sejong Backstage Tour invites participants to explore the inner workings of the complex, from its architectural and historical context to the operations that bring productions to life.

The tour begins with an overview of the building’s design and its place in Seoul’s urban history, before moving through performance halls where flagship productions of the Sejong Center season are staged.

Participants will be granted access to spaces not usually open to the public, including the main auditorium, stage, backstage facilities and rehearsal rooms used by resident arts companies. The program is intended to provide a more comprehensive view of both the creative process and the management of a large-scale performance venue.

The tour will also include a preview of the center’s rooftop observatory, scheduled to open in October. From there, visitors can take in panoramic views of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square.

Participants will be provided with wireless receivers for English-language commentary. The program will begin with free pilot sessions in April before transitioning to a paid offering, held regularly on Monday and Thursday mornings starting in May. Reservations will open at 10 a.m. on Monday through the Sejong Center’s website.