NHN Link Arts Center seats and parking: Bugs Hall and Payco Hall are both single-tier, and the car to use is the KNOU lot

Everything below was checked on 17 September 2026 against the NHN Link Arts Center official website (venue introduction, directions, notices) and the Korea National Open University (KNOU) headquarters parking guide, and compared with the KOPIS registration on the 링크아트센터 venue page.

What is the difference between Bugs Hall and Payco Hall?

NHN Link Arts Center is a theatre at 29 Daehak-ro 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, with three very different spaces stacked in one building. Per the official venue pages, Payco Hall is Hall 1 on basement level 2 with 477 seats, Bugs Hall is Hall 2 on the 2nd floor with 401 seats, and a rehearsal room of about 135 m² sits on basement level 3.

The hall names carry no floor information, so people do walk downstairs with a Bugs Hall ticket. Look for the 2F BUGS HALL / B2 PAYCO HALL signs in the lobby first. Both halls have proscenium stages, so the closer you are to the centre line the more you see the staging as designed, and that is the basis for the seat advice below.

Why do the official and KOPIS seat counts differ?

The official website says 477 seats for Payco Hall and 401 for Bugs Hall, while the KOPIS record on the 링크아트센터 venue page says 470 and 390, a gap of 7 and 11 seats. Which number is on sale depends on each production's seating chart at the ticket agency. The wheelchair positions (seat W at the end of row B in both halls) and the seats in front of the control booth are often withheld from sale, so the two figures most likely reflect different counting rules rather than an error. That is why both are printed here.

Which Payco Hall seats have the best view?

Payco Hall is a single-tier auditorium of 19 rows, A to S, and the seats facing the stage squarely are in the centre block (7~18, 12 seats) around rows F to K. The official description says the hall "reduced the distance between stage and seats for vivid sound and presence, and raised the rake between rows to secure sightlines".

• Front rows (A~C): close enough for facial expressions and breathing, but hard to take in the whole stage and tiring on the neck. Better for actor-driven plays than for musicals with large sets.
• Middle rows (D~L): the safe choice. Seats 7~18 in the centre block, with 12~13 on the exact centre line.
• Rear rows (M~S): the seating chart and photos show a pronounced step between rows, so heads in front are less of a problem the further back you sit. Row S is short at 16 seats because it sits directly in front of the control booth.
• Side seats (1~2, 25~26): you watch at an angle and one edge of the stage may be cut off. Often priced lower, so a value option.

Which Bugs Hall seats are best, and why is the numbering reversed?

Bugs Hall has 15 rows, A to O, fewer than Payco Hall but with rows up to 28 seats wide, so think left-right before front-back. On the official seating chart seat 1 is on the right and numbers increase towards the left, the opposite of Payco Hall, so do not calculate the centre by habit.

For a straight-on view take the centre block, seats 9~20, with 14~15 on the centre line. The official description says the hall "raised the step between rows to secure optimal viewing with no obstruction", and the photos show each row's floor sitting well above the seat backs in front. So in Bugs Hall the issue is not the back rows but the angle from seats 1~3 or 26~28. For the same price, a row or two further back in the centre block beats a closer side seat.

Is there parking at the Link Arts Center?

The official website lists no visitor parking. The directions page gives only Hyehwa Station (Line 4) exit 1, about 300 m or a 5-minute walk, and bus routes (branch 2112; trunk 100, 102, 104, 106, 107, 109, 140, 143, 150, 160, 162, 273, 710; night N16). The building sits in a Daehangno side street, so if you drive, pick a car park before you leave.

The practical choice is the KNOU headquarters car park at 86 Daehak-ro, right beside Marronnier Park. Rates and conditions below are from the KNOU headquarters guide.

A show of about 2.5 hours including the interval means budgeting 3 hours and roughly 14,400 won once you add getting in and out. Cars with roof boxes and large vans can hit the 2.1 m limit, so check before you reach the barrier. Rates and locations for the other Jongno-gu public car parks (Myeongnyun 1-ga, Myeongnyun Waryong and others) are on the Jongno Facilities Management Corporation website.

Are there lockers, and what should I know on a rainy day?

The official site lists no visitor lockers. With a suitcase or large bag, ask at the information desk on the day or check the lockers at Hyehwa Station in advance. A notice on the site warns that floors can be slippery in rain and asks visitors to watch their step, especially on stairs and ramps. Payco Hall is two floors down and Bugs Hall two floors up, so stairs are part of the route.

Basement level 3 holds a rehearsal room of about 135 m² with a wooden floor, full-length mirrors, Wi-Fi, heating and cooling, speakers and a mixer, a changing room, lockers, a water dispenser and a fridge. It is hired for musical and play rehearsals, sitzprobe, auditions and events. Not a visitor facility, but useful if you are looking to rent.

What are the three things to remember?

1. Both halls are single-tier, so there is no balcony sightline to worry about; pick the centre block, seats 7~18 in Payco Hall or 9~20 in Bugs Hall.
2. Bugs Hall numbers its seats from the right.
3. There is no venue parking; plan on the KNOU car park (86 Daehak-ro, 400 won per 5 minutes, 2.1 m height limit) or walk from Hyehwa Station exit 1.

Verified on 17 September 2026 against the NHN Link Arts Center official website and the KNOU headquarters parking guide. The gap between the official seat counts (477 and 401) and the KOPIS record (470 and 390) is shown above as found.