[Provided by Daegyeong University]
[Provided by Daegyeong University]

Daegyeong University announced Tuesday that its department of performing arts won the grand prize — the top honor — at the Art-Tech competition of the 34th Young Theater Festival.

The Art-Tech Selection category evaluates participating universities on stage technology, production systems, technological convergence and overall production quality, with the grand prize awarded to only one university.

In addition to the grand prize in that category, Daegyeong University took home two Young Performance Awards and the Wonderful Harmony Award, claiming four titles in all.

The 34th Young Theater Festival opened June 7 and ran for 29 days, drawing 51 universities from across South Korea as well as leading performing arts schools from China and Japan.

About 25,000 audience members, artists and other participants took part. The festival concluded Sunday with a closing ceremony at the Seoul Theater Creation Center.

The 51 domestic universities presented 64 works across 139 performances held at Daehangno, the Seoul Theater Creation Center and Samillo Changgo Theater, among other venues.

The festival also featured a Korea-China-Japan international exchange showcase, a classics program reimagining celebrated works, 15-minute relay performances, a university theater networking showcase, a running-and-plogging charity challenge and an academic seminar.

"The success of this year's Young Theater Festival was made possible by the support of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture and Daehangno Quad Theater, which provided performance spaces and venues for future artists, the partner institutions and universities that helped run the various networking programs for aspiring performing arts professionals, and the sponsorship of Woori Bank," said Kim Jeong-geun, a professor at Daegyeong University and executive chairman of the Young Theater Festival.

Kim Geon-pyo, a professor at Daegyeong University and theater critic, said the festival is increasingly positioned to grow beyond South Korea into a global stage. "Starting next year, more leading performing arts universities from around the world are expected to join, raising the prospect of the Young Theater Festival evolving into a global university theater festival," he said. "We expect it to grow into a global youth performing arts platform where young artists from around the world come together, through strengthened international exchange and creative networks."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com