Is the Price of Movie Tickets in Korea Really Expensive?

The debate over movie ticket prices has resurfaced in South Korea. In 2019, a weekday matinee ticket at CGV, South Korea's largest multiplex cinema chain, cost 10,000 won. However, as of 2024, a weekday matinee ticket is 14,000 won. This represents a staggering 40% increase over the past few years.

In 2024, Lotte Cinema, South Korea's second-largest multiplex cinema chain, announced a substantial discount policy that could shake up the industry. Lotte Cinema introduced a policy offering discounts of up to 8,000 won when movie tickets are purchased using 'L.pay,' a service similar to PayPal.

While CGV has countered that this policy could harm the film industry, South Korean moviegoers are cheering, arguing that current movie ticket prices are too high. Is the price of movie tickets in South Korea actually expensive? Let's compare movie ticket prices in various countries and cities around the world.

AMC in the US

AMC, the largest multiplex cinema chain in the US, sells general admission tickets for weekday matinees at $19.99. Based on the exchange rate on January 31, 2024, this equates to approximately 26,000 won. Compared to CGV, this is almost double the price. IMAX tickets cost $26.49, or about 35,000 won. They offer discounts of around 20-25% during the morning hours.

AMC offers a membership program that is not available in South Korea. For $72.99, you can sign up for a 3-month membership that allows you to reserve 3 movies each month at no additional cost. This includes special screenings like IMAX.

Toho Cinemas in Japan

Weekday matinee tickets at Toho Cinemas, Japan's largest multiplex chain, cost 1,900 yen. As of January 2024, this is about 17,000 won, slightly more expensive than in South Korea. On the 1st of every month, movies can be seen for 1,200 yen. Unlike South Korea, Japan has a student discount system, allowing students to purchase tickets for 1,500 yen (about 13,500 won). IMAX tickets cost 2,700 yen (about 24,000 won).

ODEON in the UK & Ireland

ODEON, the multiplex cinema chain in the UK and Ireland, while not as expensive as AMC, is still relatively pricey compared to South Korean cinemas. Weekday matinee tickets at ODEON cost £12.99, which is roughly 22,000 won. IMAX tickets are £19.49, approximately 33,000 won.

ODEON has a well-developed system of discounts. Notably, family discounts are not seen in other countries. Children's tickets cost £9.49, and a ticket for a child and an accompanying adult costs £18.98. Without the discount, adult and child tickets combined would cost £22.48, meaning a discount of about £2.50.

Similar to AMC, ODEON has a subscription-based membership. For £14.99 (25,000 won) per month, you can subscribe to ‘ODEON Limitless’ and watch unlimited movies at the cinema. However, this does not apply to special screenings like IMAX or ‘Luxe’ or cinemas located in the West End, where theaters are concentrated.

CGV in Turkey

CGV in Turkey is operated by the South Korean CGV. South Koreans visiting Istanbul may be surprised by the remarkably similar interior to their local cinemas. Weekday matinee tickets are particularly affordable at 135 Turkish Lira, which is equivalent to 6,000 won. Even IMAX tickets are quite cheap at 220 Lira (about 9,600 won).

However, there's a catch at Turkish cinemas: mid-roll advertisements, which have disappeared in most countries, still exist. After about an hour of watching a movie, you suddenly have to watch 15 minutes of advertisements. While this does offer the advantage of being able to use the restroom during the break, it can be jarring for viewers unfamiliar with this practice.

Movie ticket prices vary from country to country depending on economic conditions and cultural factors. However, compared to countries with similar economic sizes to South Korea, movie ticket prices in South Korea are not particularly expensive. Of course, lower ticket prices have significantly contributed to the development of the Korean film industry. If adjusting ticket prices is difficult, adopting diverse business models like those of ODEON or AMC might be a worthwhile approach.