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| A sign on display at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University Entrance Branch reads the suspension of business after the fifth patient confirmed as infected with COVID-19 visited there, in this Feb. 26 photo. / Yonhap |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
The rapid spread of the coronavirus in Korea has seen several movie theaters close, and forced distributors to postpone the release of prominent films here.
Several Oscar-winning films that looked to capitalize on their awards glory with a theatrical run in Korea have also had their releases delayed.
Korea's largest cinema chain CJ CGV has temporarily halted services in Daegu, where most of the nation's coronavirus cases are centered, starting Feb. 28.
"Out of growing fears of COVID-19, we have decided to shut down nine outlets in the Daegu area," CGV said in a statement. "We'll notify people about reopening dates on our website."
On Monday, "Judy" distributor First Run announced it has decided to push back the film's release in Korea over coronavirus concerns. The Oscar-winning film was originally slated to open here March 12.
"Due to the proliferation of coronavirus infection, we have decided to delay the release indefinitely. We'll release the film in Korea when it's appropriate to do so," a First Run official said.
The original release dates of a black and white version of "Parasite" and the thriller "Time to Hunt" have both been cancelled. No future dates have been announced.
Other films with March premieres ― the supernatural thriller "Call," mystery thriller "Innocence," Pixar's "Onward," family drama "Move the Grave," Park So-dam's "Fukuoka" and the heartfelt documentary "The Wandering Chef" ― have had their release dates delayed by at least a month.
The U.S. horror flick "Brahms: The Boys II" and crime comedy "Gringo" will open as scheduled March 5, but both called off press events.
The number of cinemagoers plummeted over the weekend, with 285,663 people going to the movies Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). The figure dropped 43 percent from the weekend before.
While Universal Studios' "Invisible Man" topped the box office upon its release Feb. 26, the thriller only garnered 153,784 viewers over the weekend.
The number of moviegoers in February is the lowest it has been in Korea in 16-years, as people are avoiding crowded spaces.
According to the KOFIC, about 7.34 million people went to a movie theater in February, the lowest monthly total since 3.11 million moviegoers in February 2004.
In February 2019, around 22.3 million tickets were sold across the nation.
The downward trend is expected to continue through March or even longer, with the surge in coronavirus cases showing no signs of abating.
"With more people staying indoors and staying away from enclosed areas, theaters are unlikely to exceed the break-even rate due to rent and labor costs," a Shinhan Investment Corp. analyst said.
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