Seoul Institute of the Arts is the oldest privately owned comprehensive art school of higher education in Korea. Founded by the “father of modern Korean theatre,” Chi Jin Yoo, in 1962 as a theatre school. The founding doctrine is as follows:

“We shall inherit the spirit and traditions of our country's art and culture and then spread them far and wide. Also, we shall pave the way to discover unexplored forms of art through practicum and experimentation. We shall nurture emerging artists through production of original work and specialized training to creatively pursue new art forms and gain independent identity and globalization. The truth and beauty these artists realize will ultimately contribute to our country's culture and furthermore to the world.”

Now, the institute houses 6 schools of artistic study that are performance, media, music, creative writing, design, and communications. SeoulArts has two campuses. The campus in the heart of Seoul, also known as the Drama Center, is operated as an art center of production and exhibition. The second campus in Ansan is where young artists are trained.  

SeoulArts strives to adhere to the founding doctrine beginning with the curriculum and leading to the institute’s artistic productions. The educational mission is to encourage interdisciplinary creative work across our schools. All of the majors should implement cutting edge technologies to find new and optimal means of expression. The institute enables its students as artists for the world stage through education and production. Finally, involving professional artists and companies as collaborators in the practical education prepares the students for the industries they are about to enter. These principles guide all the educational and artistic endeavors of the institute.