Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
REPORTERSNOTEBOOK What Korea’s movie voucher craze really reveals about film industry
People order snacks at a movie theater in Seoul on Sunday, with a signboard promoting the government's 6,000 won discount coupon for movie tickets visible nearby. Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
The buzz around the box office this summer isn't just about the latest blockbusters, it's about an unlikely intersection of government initiatives, the cinema industry and audiences.
On Friday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued 4.5 million vouchers that discount 6,000 won ($4.35) from movie ticket prices in a bid to stimulate domestic spending and revitalize the film industry, a measure that generated an immediate frenzy. The initial days saw websites overwhelmed as millions of coupons were quickly claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Actor Jo Jung-suk expressed how hopeful, yet careful, the movie industry felt about the government's new subsidies. With his new film “My Daughter Is a Zombie” set to open Wednesday, Jo said last week that “it felt like heaven was helping us. It’s a great start.”
This surge in public interest offered a beacon for an industry that saw its audience numbers plummet from over 226 million in 2019 to a mere 59 million in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after movie theaters reopened, the rise of streaming platforms fundamentally shifted viewing habits, leading to fewer film productions and a recent scarcity of box office champions.
To secure profitability amid dwindling attendance, multiplex chains steadily raised ticket prices between 2020 to 2022, pushing the average price for a weekend movie ticket from 12,000 won in 2019 to 15,000 won now — another key factor deterring moviegoers.
As the summer peak box office season began with these discounts, anticipation for a comeback was high. However, the "coupon craze" also unveiled some uncomfortable truths as it demonstrated that movie theaters remain an attractive cultural space if the price is right, ultimately highlighting a disconnect between current ticket prices and what consumers are willing to pay.
The voucher craze fueled online debates among those who successfully obtained discounts or those who failed, with participants not only pointing out technical flaws in the government's coupon issuance system but also actively raising more fundamental questions like, "Why don't cinemas just lower prices?"
These discussions also show that the industry’s struggles weren’t due to a lack of interest in movies, but rather the perceived burden of high ticket prices.
Despite Numbeo, a cost-of-living statistics website, ranking Korea's cinema price at a modest $10.88 — 34th globally and lower than neighboring Japan's $12.86 or Switzerland's global-high price of $25.14 — a 2024 Korea Consumer Agency survey revealed that 77.2 percent of 500 multiplex attendees found ticket prices expensive, reflecting realistic consumer perceptions regardless of international comparison.
Since multiplexes raised their ticket prices during the pandemic, a consistent complaint has resonated across online platforms and firmly taken root: Movies are too expensive compared to streaming services, and the quality of the in-theater experience isn't keeping pace.
Ultimately, the discount vouchers are a powerful signal. It clearly shows the public's enduring desire for movie theater experiences, especially when made more accessible, proving that the big screen still holds a unique allure.
Moving forward, the industry faces the pivotal challenge of fostering sustained engagement, not just through temporary promotions but by truly understanding and addressing audience needs. The hope is to see the magic of the big screen once again draw in consistent crowds, revitalizing every layer of Korean cinema from production houses to local theaters and securing a vibrant future for the art form.