The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korean shorthairs among favorite cat breeds as more people choose to adopt pets

  • 3

    REVIEW'The ODD Of LOVE' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists

  • 5

    Korea beats Nigeria to advance to semifinals at FIFA U-20 World Cup

  • 7

    Agency launched to offer exclusive support for overseas Koreans

  • 9

    INTERVIEWKorean food undergoes renaissance in US

  • 11

    Stats agency to use Naver's AI chatbot to offer tailored data for firms

  • 13

    Retailers use recycled, biodegradable plastic to attract eco-conscious consumers

  • 15

    7 Vietnamese nabbed for suspected drug use at club

  • 17

    Asiana Airlines pilots union to initiate mass flight delays

  • 19

    Toyota launches Crown CUV in Korea to boost sales

  • 2

    Uhm Jung-hwa enjoys second heyday with JTBC series 'Doctor Cha'

  • 4

    Tom Cruise to visit Korea to promote new film

  • 6

    3 EXO members file antitrust complaint against SM Entertainment

  • 8

    ANALYSISS. Korean economy feared to follow in Japan's footsteps

  • 10

    Korea's export dependency on China dips below 20%

  • 12

    Retail investors bet on wrong horse despite KOSPI rally

  • 14

    Memorial event to be held for fallen Thai soldiers of Korean War

  • 16

    Korea pushes digital technology exports to Middle East, Japan, ASEAN

  • 18

    HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean to compete in Busan to sell naval ships

  • 20

    Foreigners to be allowed to invest in Korean stock market without prior registration starting December

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Wed, June 7, 2023 | 07:14
Business
Cinemas fail to cater to needs of foreign moviegoers
Posted : 2010-12-24 19:38
Updated : 2010-12-24 19:38
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

People visit Megabox in Seoul to see movies. / Korea Times file

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Watching a movie should be hassle-free, but not for most expatriates in Seoul.

When you go to a cinema, you are greeted by movie posters with titles written in Hangul. Titles of foreign movies are usually just Romanized translations, but can still be difficult to decipher.

When you get to the ticket box, non-Korean speaking foreigners will encounter problems communicating with staff members about choosing the right seat for the right movie at the right time. During weekends or holidays, it can be frustrating to get to a cinema and to find out all the tickets are sold out in advance.

For most Koreans, the solution is to go online and buy movie tickets, hours or even days in advance.

But foreigners find that visiting a movie theater’s website is not much better than lining up for tickets at the cinema. Foreign residents are not only inconvenienced by the lack of English information on the website, but also the difficulties in signing up for an account.

Plus popular Korean films are also rarely shown with English subtitles, which discourage international fans from trekking to the theater.

The Korea Times overviewed several popular cinema chains in Seoul and their websites to find out which one offers the most foreigner-friendly services.

CGV

Owned by CJ Group, CGV is the largest cinema chain in Korea and has been expanding overseas with outlets in China.

CGV was the first to offer membership for foreigners on its website (www.cgv.co.kr), but it only offered limited English information and the entire process of booking a ticket was still done in Korean.

Now, one has to apparently sign up not on the CGV website, but for the new CJ One lifestyle membership website for all CJ affiliates such as Olive Young, Tous Les Jours and Cold Stone Creamery.

The CJ One website is in Korean, but on the positive side, it does accept the alien registration card number which means foreigners can register. All the user service agreements are in Korean. But if you can read and write basic Korean, it is fairly easy to sign up for the CJ One card.

The ID and password for CJ One website can be used to book tickets online at the CGV website. This reporter tried reserving a ticket, but the process is quite complicated and required a credit card for payment. This proves to be difficult again for foreign residents who do not have a locally issued credit card.

Once you successfully reserve the ticket and print out the voucher, there is one more hurdle. At the CGV cinemas, there are ticketing machines which are once again all in Korean. It would be helpful if CGV would provide a ticketing machine with an English language option to make it more convenient for foreigners to get their movie tickets.

Lotte Cinema

Lotte Cinema is another popular cinema chain, but unfortunately it also does not seem to make any effort to cater to foreign customers.

The Lotte Cinema website (www.lottecinema.co.kr) does not have any English information on movies or cinema locations. The website also only works on Internet Explorer. But more importantly, it does not allow foreigners to apply for membership, since alien registration numbers are not accepted.

At the Lotte Cinema, there is also not much information or services that would make it easier for foreign customers to buy tickets. Usually, when you buy a ticket, the staff member will just assign a seat, and not bother to ask what specific seat you want.

Megabox

Megabox is a smaller chain of cinemas but its branch at Coex Mall is always crowded with moviegoers. The Megabox website (www.megabox.co.kr) has some English, with sections for Movies, Tickets and a Helpdesk, but curiously all the information is in Korean.

Foreigners can sign up for a Megabox membership on the website, although one has to wade through the Korean instructions. All the user service agreements are in Korean as well. Plus a Korean bank-issued credit card is also needed to purchase tickets.

When one plans to watch a movie at Megabox Coex, it is important to book a ticket in advance, especially if it’s a popular movie and it’s on a weekend. There are usually long lines at the counter, and popular films are usually sold out in advance.

Poor Korean film subtitle service

For foreigners who are interested in watching Korean movies, it is rare to find Korean movies with English subtitles.

This year, CGV has been working on a ``Korean film subtitle service’’ with the Seoul Metropolitan Government. At least one Korean film is shown with English subtitles at selected CGV cinemas (Gangnam, Myeongdong, Yongsan and Guro) every month. Locations were chosen because of the high number of international residents in these areas.

Previous films that have been shown include ``Festival,’’ and ``A Better Tomorrow,’’ while this month’s offering is `` First Love,’’ starring Gong Yoo and Lim Soo-jung.

This reporter watched ``The Man from Nowhere’’ with English subtitles at CGV Myeongdong a few months ago. There was no problem with the film’s English subtitles.

However, it was interesting to note that the CGV website does not have any ads or banners promoting this service. At the CGV Myeongdong ticket box, one cannot find any information about the Korean films being screened with English subtitles. It seems counterproductive to provide this kind of service for foreigners while making little effort to promote it at all.

It would also be good if the Seoul Metropolitan Government expanded the number of cinemas where these Korean films with English subtitles are shown.

Ignoring the foreign community

There is no doubt that major cinema chains like CGV, Megabox and Lotte Cinema have excellent, modern and clean facilities.

However, their services should go one step further and address the needs of the growing expatriate population in Korea. This oversight is even more glaring considering that CGV and Megabox are expanding overseas.

Even smaller cinemas like Daehan Cinema, Seoul Cinema, Star Six and City Cinema are also found to be not so foreigner-friendly.

For a start, the cinemas in Seoul should at least put both Korean and English titles for Korean and international films. The cinema chains should also work to have at least one ticket machine with different language options to cater to foreign customers.

This might seem like a small problem, but it seems to be indicative of Korean companies’ continued indifference to addressing the needs of the growing number of foreign residents in Korea.
Emailvoc200@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Asiana Airlines pilots union to initiate mass flight delays Asiana Airlines pilots union to initiate mass flight delays
2Korean food's global popularity leads to copycat products in China, Japan Korean food's global popularity leads to copycat products in China, Japan
3International Yoga Day to celebrate well-being of body, mind International Yoga Day to celebrate well-being of body, mind
4Presidential office's plan to revamp TV viewing fees causes stir Presidential office's plan to revamp TV viewing fees causes stir
5Incheon announces plans to become hub for overseas Koreans Incheon announces plans to become hub for overseas Koreans
6ROK-US alliance is now nuclear-based: President Yoon ROK-US alliance is now nuclear-based: President Yoon
7Hyundai Motor, IKEA join hands to promote sustainable outdoor activities Hyundai Motor, IKEA join hands to promote sustainable outdoor activities
8Ex-top trade negotiator to serve as US think tank standing senior fellow Ex-top trade negotiator to serve as US think tank standing senior fellow
9Egyptian national arrested for possession of cannabis cookie Egyptian national arrested for possession of cannabis cookie
10Controversy grows as fisheries ministry stresses safety of seafood, salt, beaches Controversy grows as fisheries ministry stresses safety of seafood, salt, beaches
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[REVIEW] 'The ODD Of LOVE' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists REVIEW'The ODD Of LOVE' concert: Taeyeon shows why she is among K-pop's top vocalists
2Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
3Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation
4[INTERVIEW] 'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series
5'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season 'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group