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| A healthcare worker conducts disinfection operations at the Dream Theater in central Seoul in this Feb. 6 file photo. Yonhap |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
All sectors are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the cultural sector is one of the industries that has been hit the hardest. While theater is an artistic activity, it also is an economic activity for actors and their support crew.
According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS), total sales for March dropped sharply to 8.7 billion won as of Monday from 40.4 billion won in January, which is usually the slowest month.
Most state-run theaters have closed, canceled or postponed scheduled performances. However, some shows decided to go on as the livelihoods of actors and crews are at stake.
The musical "Laundry," one of the long-running Korean musicals at Seoul's small theater district, Daehangno, closed their 23rd production early due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. It canceled all performances in March and April, but planned to stage one last show on Saturday as a goodbye.
On Friday, the show's production company CH Soobak made an announcement that they could not perform Saturday, attaching a Seoul Metropolitan Government official document that has been sent to theaters.
The document contained six guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including checking symptoms upon arrival, using hand sanitizers, urging audience members to wear masks, disinfecting before and after the show and making a list of audience members for emergency contact purposes.
The clause that forced the company to cancel Saturday's production was for the theatre to keep a two-meter distance between the stage and the audience and also between audience members.
The production company concluded that it could not risk a 3 million won fine from breaking infectious disease-related regulations or the possible amount the city could claim if a COVID-19 case was confirmed at the theater and so canceled the final performance.
As Seoul City officials visited Daehangno for site inspections Saturday, many performances were delayed as staff had to check temperatures and audience members had to fill out forms before entering theaters. However, popular shows could not keep the two-meter distance between audience members.
An official of the National Theater Association of Korea emphasized the theater industry's effort to prevent the coronavirus while continuing to work and voiced complaints about the unrealistic measures.
"Small theaters have been doing their best to take preventive measures against COVID-19. Most theaters disinfect seats and dressing rooms every day, checked temperatures of the crew and audience members, and require audiences to wear masks throughout the shows. However, instead of providing realistic guidance, Seoul City's official document is just intimidating, mentioning fines and the city's right of indemnity."
Performance production companies also balked at the city's guidelines as they found them impossible to comply with immediately since many tickets had already been sold.
"Two-meter social distancing in theaters is a result of armchair theory. Most small theaters have chairs with a width of around 50 centimeters. To follow the two-meter rule, three or four seats should be empty around an audience member on all sides. A 300-seat theater could place only about one tenth of that capacity, roughly calculated. It is unfeasible to continue with that small an audience," a theater industry insider said.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism presented measures for the COVID-19 outbreak, March 19, as many theater industry workers lost their jobs after performances were canceled or postponed indefinitely.
The culture ministry said it will provide an 8,000 won discount for 3 million people who make reservations for performances and support small theaters and troupes in financial difficulty, but most of the measures are due "after the COVID-19 situation gets better," leaving those who are in needy circumstances right now without immediate help.
