April 25 House of Culture explained

April 25 House of Culture
Former Names:February 8 House of Culture
Congress Hall
Pushpin Map:Pyongyang
Coordinates:39.0581°N 125.7492°W
Location:Pipha Street, Moranbong District, Pyongyang, North Korea
Publictransit: Chǒllima: Jŏnu and Hyǒksin: Chŏnsŭng
Type:Culture venue
Broke Ground:April 1974
Hangul:4.25 [1]
Hanja:4・25
Rr:4.25 munhwa hoegwan
Mr:4.25 munhwa hoegwan
Context:north

The April 25 House of Culture is a theatre located in Pyongyang, North Korea.[2] It was built in 1974–1975 to provide a venue for military education, and was originally called the February 8 House of Culture. It is located on Pipha Street in the Moranbong District of Pyongyang. The classically colonnaded building[3] is considered one of the best examples of 1970s socialist monumentality in North Korea,[4] the other being the visually similar Mansudae Art Theatre.[5]

It has been the location of many historic events, from the 6th, 7th, and 8th congresses of the Korean Workers' Party, to the historic meeting of Kim Jong-il with the president of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, in 2007.[6]

Construction

A 12.4ha site was cleared and actual construction on the theatre building was begun in April 1974.[7] The building is 105m (344feet) wide across the front, 176m (577feet) deep, and rises to a height of almost 50m (160feet). It contains two large theatres with 6,000 seats and 1,100 seats respectively with a cinema theatre of 600 seats. Its over 80000sqm of floor space provide for some 600 other rooms in support of the theatres. The building opened on 7 October 1975.

Name

The building as proposed was originally named the February 8 House of Culture after the date of the 1948 official founding of the Korean People's Army (KPA). It was opened under this name and the 6th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held there on 10 to 14 October 1980, under this name.[8] After the congress the building was sometimes referred to as Congress Hall;[9] however, subsequently the name was changed to the April 25 House of Culture, the founding date of the resistance army against the Japanese,[10] in order to reflect the historical connection, and the continuity, with the KPA.[11] North Korea's Military Foundation Day had been changed earlier, in 1978, from 9 February to 25 April, until 2015 when it returned to the 8 February date.

Usage

The April 25 House of Culture is home to the April 25th Culture and Art Composition Office,[12] which is in charge of organizing major KPA cultural events, including international conferences and state funerals. In addition to meetings for military education, awards and solidarity,[13] and official state ceremonies and party meetings such as the 6th and 7th Congresses of the Workers' Party of Korea,[14] [15] the theatres in the 25 April House of Culture are used for cultural events such as performances by the Korean People's Army Ensemble, or the band Moranbong.[16]

The building rarely sees visits by tourists.

In culture

The North Korean postal service issued a stamp on 7 October 1976, primarily for domestic use, depicting the then new building.[17]

The building appeared in the 2019 South Korean film Ashfall.[18] [19]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ko:평양 4.25 문화회관에 큰 화재 발생 . 중국-김준호 . . 25 April 2014 . 6 May 2016 . http://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/fire-04252014095421.html . ko .
  2. Web site: Pyongyang: Theatres . Official webpage of the DPR of Korea . Korean Friendship Association (KFA) . 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130403071031/http://korea-dpr.com/theatres.html . 3 April 2013 . dead . dmy .
  3. Book: Willoughby, Robert . North Korea: The Bradt Travel Guide. Third. 2014. Bradt Travel Guides. 978-1-84162-476-1. 135.
  4. Web site: The Architecture of North Korea . 12 June 2015 . Koryo Tours . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505213251/http://koryogroup.com/newblog/?p=3037 . 5 May 2016 . live . dmy .
  5. Web site: North Korea Architecture Tour 2014 . 2013. How to Go to North Korea . Rebel Tribe . https://web.archive.org/web/20140927035410/http://www.howtogotonorthkorea.com/north-korea-architecture-tour-2014/ . 27 September 2014 . dead.
  6. Web site: Theatres, Pyongyang, North Korea . koreakonsult.com . 6 May 2016 .
  7. Book: Corfield, Justin . 2014 . Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang . London . Anthem Press . 7 . 978-1-78308-341-1.
  8. Kim . Nam-Sik . 1982 . North Korea's Power Structure and Foreign Relations: An Analysis of the Sixth Congress of the KWP . . 2 . 1 . 125–151 . 23253510.
  9. Web site: Documents – Bob Hartley Collection . The Strand Archive . https://web.archive.org/web/20170305001107/http://www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/contentslist.php?view=col&content_id=5 . 5 March 2017 . dead . 5 May 2016 .
  10. Official North Korean sources, such as Book: Hwan Ju Pang . 1987 . Korean Review . Pyongyang . . 39 . 21036357., state that the Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army was founded on 25 April 1932 by Kim Il Sung. Kim was at that time commanding a small unit in the Chinese Communist Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army under General Yang Jingyu. Web site: Kim Il Sung's Life to the Korean War . Post War North Korea . Korean History Info . https://web.archive.org/web/20120502145029/http://koreanhistory.info/KimIlSungsLife.htm . 2 May 2012 . live. ; Book: Minnich, James M. . 2005 . The North Korean People's Army: Origins and Current Tactics . Annapolis, Maryland . Naval Institute Press . 978-1-59114-525-7.
  11. Web site: N. Korea Displays Ballistic Missiles During Military Parade, Some for the first time . June 2007 . Marinekslee . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505193727/http://marinekslee.egloos.com/m/8498726 . 5 May 2016 . live. which cites: "Puk chuyo’gi’nyŏm’il 5–10 nyŏnmada taegyumo yŏlpyŏngsik" (North Korea Holds Large Military Parades for Anniversaries Every 5–10 years), Chosŏn Ilbo, 25 April 2007; Chang Jun-ik, "Pukhan Inmingundaesa" (History of the North Korean Military), Seoul, Sŏmundang, 1991, pp. 19–88; Book: Kim Kwang-su . 2006 . Chapter Two: 조선 인민군 의 형성 과 발전, 1945–1990 [Chosŏninmingun’ŭi ch’angsŏlgwa palchŏn, 1945–1990; Foundation and Development of the Korean People's Army, 1945–1990] . ko:북한 의 군사. The Military of North Korea . Seoul . Kyung Inmoonhwasa (Kyŏngin Munhwasa) . 63–78 . 978-89-499-0439-9.
  12. The April 25th Culture and Art Composition Office has also been known variously as the April 25th Cultural Centre, April 25th Hall, April 25th House of Culture, 8 February Hall, 8 February House of Culture, and 8 February Group. Book: Bermedez, Joseph S. . 2003 . Shield of the Great Leader: The Armed Forces of North Korea . Sydney, New South Wales . Allen & Unwin . 32 . 978-1-74115-007-0.
  13. News: Servicepersons Vow to Be Faithful to Leadership of Kim Jong Un . 18 July 2012 . KCNA Watch. https://web.archive.org/web/20160505202320/http://www.kcnawatch.co/newstream/1451892359-315527649/servicepersons-vow-to-be-faithful-to-leadership-of-kim-jong-un/ . 5 May 2016 . live.
  14. News: Talmadge, Eric . 3 May 2016 . Details of N. Korea party congress secret, but goals clear . Associated Press . https://web.archive.org/web/20160504144222/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b0c294704ec543388e8b260ef0d30046/details-n-korea-party-congress-secret-goals-clear . 4 May 2016 . live.
  15. News: Pearson, James . Finishing touches in North Korea capital ahead of rare party meeting . 5 May 2016 . Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) from Reuters . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505214149/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/finishing-touches-in-north-korea-capital-ahead-of-rare-party-meeting/42134566 . 5 May 2016 . live.
  16. News: Paton, Callum . 10 December 2015 . North Korea: Kim Jong Un's hand-picked girl band Moranbong hope to make it big in China . . https://web.archive.org/web/20160530133954/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/north-korea-kim-jong-uns-hand-picked-girl-band-moranbong-hope-make-it-big-china-1532731 . 30 May 2016 . live . dmy .
  17. Scott #1532 – Scott (2008) "Korea, Democratic People’s Republic" Scott 2009 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Volume 4 (165th edition) Scott Publishing Co., Sidney, Ohio, page 276.
  18. Web site: Ashfall (2019). IMDb. 21 August 2024.
  19. Web site: 白头山精彩情节. Bilibili. 19 March 2020. 21 August 2024.

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