BUSAN — The Busan Metropolitan Government has scrapped both the planned Centre Pompidou Busan branch and the invitation performance by Milan's Teatro alla Scala for the opening of the Busan Opera House, dropping two signature cultural projects of the previous administration that had drawn prolonged debate. The city said the decision followed a comprehensive review of public deliberation results, environmental preservation, fiscal burden and the readiness of the venue.
Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo announced the final positions on the two projects at a press conference at City Hall on the morning of Oct. 14. On the Pompidou branch, the city cited concerns over environmental damage at the Igidae site, contract terms that would not sufficiently guarantee Busan's rights and public interest, uncertainty over the long-term fiscal burden, and the lack of a plan for shared growth with the local arts community.
A consulting study on the project estimated construction costs at about 110 billion won ($77 million) from the city budget, with annual operating costs of about 12.5 billion won ($8.8 million). A policy review panel, however, largely concluded that the economic feasibility analysis lacked credibility and that whether the city's finances could sustain the project over the long term needed to be reassessed. Panel members also said the city had not done enough to specify which works and content Busan would be guaranteed under the contract, or how the new venue would divide roles with existing art museums.
The decision is the first follow-up measure since the city said at a town hall meeting on Sept. 30 that it would reflect residents' views in policy. The Pompidou project was reviewed by an 18-member policy review panel co-chaired by two city council members. Members were split and the panel did not produce a single recommendation, but the majority view was that the project's key terms should be reexamined. Opposition also prevailed on the city's cultural cooperation committee, and even members who gave conditional support asked for a review of the Igidae site, citing environmental damage.
The city said it would meet residents' desire for a world-class cultural facility in other ways. It plans to strengthen the exhibition, research and collection capabilities of the Busan Museum of Art in the eastern part of the city and the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan in the west, and to expand exchanges with overseas museums. At the North Port, the city will build a multipurpose cultural exhibition space, long sought by the local arts community, entirely with state funds. The facility is being planned with a total floor area of 5,000 square meters, including 3,000 square meters of exhibition space, and the city is in talks with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Busan Port Authority with a target opening in the second half of 2030.
Expectations for the La Scala performance had been high, with 75% support in a survey of residents, but the city dropped the current plan over funding, cooperation with local artists and opening preparations. Of the initial project cost of 10 billion won ($7 million), the city had sought to cover 40% to 50% through corporate donations and sponsorships, but fell short of that target by the time budget planning was due. The city judged that confirming the performance while funding remained uncertain would not be responsible administration.
Plans for cooperation that would lead to participation and training for local artists and the development of new talent also had not been fleshed out. The city also noted that the Busan Opera House is the largest opera venue run by a local government in the country, requiring ample time to inspect stage equipment and acoustics, conduct trial runs, and prepare pilot performances and audience services.
The Busan Opera House is scheduled for completion at the end of this year, with safety and performance inspections in the first half of next year and pilot performances in the second half, ahead of its official opening in 2028. The opening festival will be prepared with local artists and will draw on Busan's history, daily life and cultural identity. The city said it would build the opera house into a leading opera-producing theater in Asia through in-house productions, invitations of overseas works and international exchange. Once operations stabilize, the city plans to revisit invitations to world-class companies, including La Scala.
"We will carefully incorporate into future policy the expectations and proposals of those who feel disappointed by this conclusion," the mayor said. "We will make Busan a city where culture is a basic part of residents' daily lives."