K-Musical Culture
17 Opera Glasses
Korea
In Korea, large theaters usually provide rental services for opera glasses at a small fee. To ensure availability, patrons are encouraged to pre-book online, and an official ID is often required as collateral. The glasses typically offer magnifications of x8 or x10, which are suitable for balcony viewing, though some venues provide only x3, which is often insufficient from the second or third level.
For example:
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Charlotte Theater currently lends the Nikon Sportstar EX 10x25 (â‚©5,500 / $4), but in the past rented the Nikon Aculon 8x21.
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Blue Square (Shinhan Card Hall) and Chungmu Arts Center list opera glass rentals directly on Interpark/NOL Theater or their own booking sites, just like musical tickets. Patrons can select the date and reserve a pair in advance, typically for â‚©5,000.
This integration shows how opera glasses in Korea are treated as an essential part of the theater experience, rather than optional accessories.
Charlotte Theater rental page – official listing of opera glass rental service
Chungmu Arts Center rental page – online pre-booking system for opera glasses (₩5,000)
Blue Square rental page (via NOL/Interpark) – integrated with musical ticketing, showing limited stock per performance
Nikon Sportstar EX 10x25 – currently rented at Charlotte Theater (â‚©5,500)
Nikon Aculon 10x21 – visually identical to the 8x21 model once rented at Charlotte Theater
Compact 3x25 opera glass – occasionally offered at some Korean venues
Broadway
Opera glass rentals were once available in New York theaters, but the practice has largely disappeared. Low rental revenue, difficulties in securing collateral, and the risk of loss or damage likely made the service impractical. Today, opera glasses are treated as personal items, and patrons are expected to bring their own.
