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Gov't to roll out discount vouchers for performances, exhibitions

Published: 07 Aug. 2025, 15:55 Updated: 07 Aug. 2025, 19:28

Performers present a live drawing performance at the Modu Arts Theater [MODU ARTS THEATER]

You could score a discount coupon for musical tickets and art fairs starting this week — if you're fast enough.

Korea is rolling out 2.1 million government-funded discount vouchers for performances and exhibitions beginning Friday, giving audiences a chance to catch plays, musicals, art exhibits and more at steep markdowns.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Arts Management Service and the Arts Council Korea, announced Thursday that it will distribute 500,000 vouchers for performances and 1.6 million for exhibitions through five online booking platforms: InterPark, Melon Ticket, Time Ticket, Ticketlink and Yes24. Each person can receive up to two vouchers per platform on a first-come, first-served basis.

Performance vouchers offer 10,000 won ($7) off per ticket, while exhibition vouchers discount 3,000 won from admission fees.

Eligible performances include plays, musicals, classical music, gugak (traditional Korean music), dance and multidisciplinary works. Pop concerts and popular dance events are not covered. The exhibition discounts apply to visual arts exhibitions, art fairs and biennales, but exclude industrial expos.

Discounts can be claimed online from 10 a.m. on Friday until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 19, or until all vouchers are issued. They can only be used for events scheduled on or before Nov. 30.

To prevent no-shows, the Culture Ministry introduced a minimum payment requirement. Performances must total at least 15,000 won and exhibitions 5,000 won for the discount to apply. One voucher can be used per transaction, but multiple tickets may be purchased at once to meet the minimum amount.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Arts Management Service and the Arts Council Korea, will distribute 500,000 vouchers for performances and 1.6 million for exhibitions through five online booking platforms from Aug. 8. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

In a separate initiative, Modu Art Theater, Korea’s first performance venue dedicated to artists with disabilities, will distribute an additional 10,000 vouchers through its own reservation system.

The ministry has also set up a dedicated help line for those unfamiliar with online booking, including older people. The hotline is available at 02-2098-2916 for performance inquiries and 02-2098-2911 for exhibitions.

The voucher program is part of a broader cultural stimulus plan backed by a 100 billion won supplementary budget. Last month, the ministry distributed 4.5 million 6,000 won discount vouchers for movie theater tickets.

“We hope these performance and exhibition vouchers will help people experience arts and culture more easily in their daily lives,” said Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young. “We also expect that it will inject energy into regional theaters and exhibition halls.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE YOUNG-HEE [[email protected]]