[1] In its early years the theater screened classic Hollywood films such as Ben-Hur and The Sound of Music, and in the 1980s was a hotspot for Hong Kong cinema, hosting premieres and drawing actors such as Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat.
[1][2] It went into decline with the increasing popularity of multiplex movie theaters, and despite changing its name to Dream Cinema in 1999, this attempt to rebrand its image was unsuccessful.
[1] In recent years the theater has been limited to screening free previews or films that are long past their opening dates.
[2] With plans to redevelop the area and the building facing demolition, Seodaemun Art Hall announced in October 2007 that it would be closing.
[1] Dirty Dancing opened at Seodaemun Art Hall in November 2007, and with low priced tickets costing ₩3,500 it attracted 700 to 1,000 viewers per day, several times more than the theater's average audience numbers.