There is a debate on movie ticket prices again in Korea. In 2019, the weekday afternoon movie ticket at CGV, the largest multiplex chain in Korea, was 10,000 won. But currently in 2024, the weekday afternoon ticket is 14,000 won. It has risen by 40% over the past few years.

In 2024, Lotte Cinema, Korea's second-largest multiplex chain, announced a discount policy that could shake up the industry. Lotte Cinema will offer an 8,000 won discount on movie tickets when paid with 'L.pay', a similar service to PayPal.

While CGV, the number one, is protesting that it will ruin the movie industry, Korean audiences are cheering, saying that movie ticket prices are too expensive right now. Are movie ticket prices in Korea really expensive? Let's compare movie ticket prices in various countries and cities around the world.

AMC in the United States

AMC, the largest multiplex in the United States, sells weekday afternoon general screening tickets for $19.99. Based on the exchange rate as of January 31, 2024, it is about 26,000 won. This is almost double the price compared to CGV. IMAX is $26.49, about 35,000 won. Discounts of 20-25% are applied during the morning hours.

AMC has a membership system that does not exist in Korea. You can join a 3-month membership for $72.99 and watch 3 movies per month without additional charges. This includes special screenings such as IMAX.

Toho Cinemas in Japan

Weekday afternoon tickets at Toho Cinemas, the largest multiplex in Japan, are 1,900 yen. As of January 2024, it is about 17,000 won, slightly more expensive than Korea. On the 1st of every month, you can watch movies for 1,200 yen. Unlike Korea, there is a college student discount system, and college students can buy tickets for 1,500 yen (about 13,500 won). IMAX is 2,700 yen (about 24,000 won).

ODEON in the UK & Ireland

ODEON, a multiplex chain in the UK and Ireland, is not as expensive as AMC, but it is quite expensive compared to Korean cinemas. Weekday afternoon tickets at ODEON are £12.99. This is about 22,000 won. IMAX is £19.49, about 33,000 won.

ODEON has a well-developed discount system. Especially, the family discount is something that you cannot see in other countries. Children's tickets are £9.49, but a ticket with a child and adult is £18.98. If you don't apply the discount, the adult and child tickets combined would be £22.48, so it's a discount of about £2.50.

ODEON, like AMC, has a subscription-based membership. You can pay £14.99 (25,000 won) per month to subscribe to 'ODEON Limitless' and watch unlimited movies in theaters. However, it cannot be used in special theaters like IMAX or 'Luxe', or in West End, where theaters are concentrated.

CGV in Turkey

CGV in Turkey is operated by CGV in Korea. Koreans may be surprised to find a very similar interior to Korean cinemas when they visit theaters in Istanbul. In particular, weekday afternoon movie tickets are 135 Turkish Lira. This is equivalent to 6,000 won. IMAX is also quite cheap at 220 lira (about 9,600 won).

However, there is a trap in Turkish cinemas. It is the mid-movie advertisement that has disappeared in most countries. About an hour into the movie, you have to watch commercials for 15 minutes. It's also an advantage that you can go to the bathroom in the middle, but it can be a shock to viewers who are not used to this culture.

Movie admission fees vary from country to country depending on economic levels and culture. However, compared to countries with similar economic scales as Korea, Korean movie tickets are not expensive at all. Of course, the cheap ticket price has contributed greatly to the development of Korean cinema. If it is difficult to adjust the ticket price, it would be good to try various business models like ODEON or AMC.