Status of the Korean Performing Arts Market in 2023

Performing Arts Data Team, Korea Arts Management Service

Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System_KOPIS released the 2023 Performing Arts Market Ticket Sales Analysis Report. The Performing arts data team at the KAMS analyzed ticket sales trends of the Korean performing arts such as play, musical, Western music(classical music and opera), Korean music(gukak), dance(Western/Korean), mixed, popular music, popular dance, and circus/magic collected in the KOPIS from January to December 2023.

The Korean Performing arts market in 2023 recorded a total of 20,404 shows/concerts, 116,587 performances, 20.97 million ticket reservations, and 1.2697 trillion won(approximately 951 million dollars) in ticket sales; results of 2023 showed improvements of 14% in minimum to 24% in maximum.

Genres other than popular arts(including play, musical, Western music, Korean music, dance, and mixed) showed increased results in all areas, recording a total of 16,116 shows/concerts(▲11.6%), 101,853 performances(▲16.7%), 15.08 million ticket reservations(▲10.4%), and 648.9 billion won(approximately 487 million dollars) in ticket sales(▲15.5%).

For the year 2023, December was the busiest month with shows/concerts(2,804), followed by November(2,406) and October(2,228), making the fourth quarter period(between October and December) with the most shows/concerts. Meanwhile, ticket reservation and ticket sales were highest in December(3.14 million tickets, 225.8 billion won(approximately 169 million dollars)), followed by August(1.89 million tickets, 122.7 billion won(approximately 92 million dollars)) and July(1.84 million tickets, 116.5 billion won(approximately 87 million dollars)). In conclusion, performing arts companies and venues put on the most performances in the fourth quarter. Still, audience demand is higher in the summer season of July and August, and the winter season in December.

Western music(classical music/opera) had the greatest number of shows/concerts, making 38% of the total, while play recorded the most number of performances, making 42.3% of the total. The musical was the genre with the highest ticket reservations, 38.4% of the total, and popular music recorded the highest in ticket sales revenues, 45.4% of the total.

Analysis of results for all genres by region showed Seoul expectedly was the most active of all; a total of 9,404 shows/concerts, 77,138 performances, 12.96 million ticket reservations, and 864.5 billion won(approximately 649 million dollars) of ticket sales revenues were recorded in Seoul.

To analyze ticket sales of 2023 in regards to children(audience type), visiting(foreign artists), Daehangno(region), open run(open period), festival(organization type), number of shows/concerts and ticket reservations were the highest in ‘children’s performances(16.2%, 16.7% respectively), number of performances highest in Daehangno region with 39.6%, and ticket sales revenues notably higher in foreign artists’ performance recording 10.6%.

Top 10 programs made up 13.3% of total ticket sales in 2023, which decreased a 22.1%points from 2020 when the pandemic hit hard. The result slightly increases to 28.3% excluding popular arts, but still makes the smallest portion in the time series. Of the top 20 shows/concerts, 13 were musicals, 6 were popular music, and 1 was circus/magic. The three genres with relatively higher ticket prices and general popularity swept the top 20 list.

2023 Korean Performing Arts Market Ticket Sales Analysis Report