Geonji Art Hall, the small performance hall of JBNU's Samsung Arts Center, which opened in 1998 and has long been recognized as a cultural space for local residents, has reopened following major renovations.

JBNU (President Yang O-bong) held a reopening ceremony on the 22nd in the first-floor lobby of the Samsung Arts Center's Geonji Art Hall. The reopening was undertaken to comprehensively renovate the aging performance venue and transform it into a safer, more comfortable cultural and artistic space.

Since its opening, Geonji Art Hall has served as a multi-purpose cultural space where students and local residents together have enjoyed performances, exhibitions, and academic events. However, after approximately 28 years the overall aging of the facilities made improvements increasingly necessary.

This project was launched following a donation by Chairperson Kim Jeong-ok of the Kim Hee-kyung European Spiritual Culture Scholarship Foundation, who contributed a total of KRW 8 billion to improve facilities related to JBNU's Samsung Arts Center — a leading regional arts and culture venue — and to support the training of future generations. In particular, KRW 6 billion of Chairperson Kim's donation was allocated to environmental improvements for Yeongsan Hall (Main Performance Hall) and Geonji Art Hall (Small Performance Hall) at the Samsung Arts Center.

Through the renovations, the exterior of the performance hall was repainted and the entrance refurbished to establish a modern image. In the lobby, porcelain tiles and Tembaboard were installed and an information desk added to improve visitor convenience.

In addition, the seating was replaced and sound-absorbing boards and carpet tiles were installed to improve the interior viewing environment. Auxiliary facilities, including the control room, dressing rooms, and restrooms, were fully renovated.

Senior university officials, members of the College of Arts, and foundation representatives including Chairperson Kim Jeong-ok attended the ceremony to celebrate the reopening.

After the ceremony, congratulatory performances by members of the College of Arts — including the Department of Korean Music, the Department of Dance, and the Department of Music — were presented.

President Yang O-bong said, "Thanks to Chairperson Kim Jeong-ok's generous intentions and dedication, Geonji Art Hall has been reborn. I hope this space will establish itself as an open venue where university members and local residents alike can enjoy culture and the arts."