Consumers in South Korea are concerned about the rising theater ticket prices over the post-pandemic era, with an increase of 50%.

According to the Korean Film Council (KOBIS), the total number of theater visitors from January to May was 11,631,935, or one-quarter of the same period in 2019 (46,933,590).

People are flocking to over-the-top (OTT) channels like Netflix instead of going to the cinema, and it is estimated that the competitiveness of movies displayed in theaters nowadays is not as high as that of OTT content.

This trend signifies that no recent films have been released that are worth seeing compared to the high prices consumers are expected to pay.

It is not to be said that ticket costs were low in the past. But there was indeed a good rationale for the high price.

Movie films cost approximately 3 million won per episode, while projector bulbs cost about 1.5 to 3 million, needing replacement after a few months of use.

This meant ticket prices were high because each cinema had to pay a wage to employ the laborers.

Domestic OTT app installers, on the other hand, surpassed 30 million, evolving as a significant medium to replace movie theaters.

According to a market research firm, 30.08 million people installed key OTT apps such as Netflix, TV, and Coupang Play in April.

This figure represents a 7.5% increase over the same period the previous year (29.79 million).

Unsurprisingly, movie ticket costs have continually climbed in tandem with inflation.

The cost of movie tickets, in particular, has risen dramatically after COVID-19.

Since then, movie ticket prices have risen by 1,000 won per year, reaching 14,000 won in 2022 (15,000 won on weekends).

COVID-19 caused direct harm to movie theaters; as social distancing methods became more widespread, the number of people visiting movie theaters decreased, and movie theater companies experienced significant losses.

Despite the end of such social regulations, the industry has not fully recovered from the loss yet.

The summer season, from July to August, traditionally should serve as a peak period for movie theaters.

It is when many professionals expect high profits and hold high hopes that these large-scale productions will rejuvenate the cinema scene; however, only a few movies were able to break even, resulting in a box office disappointment this summer in 2023.

The situation is no different for small and medium-scale films with production costs under 10 billion won.

Among all the small and medium-scale movies released this year, only one film managed to break even, achieving it thanks to its low budget.

Although it may seem inevitable that movie theater prices will rise, it is also inevitable that consumers are seeking alternative ways and devices to enjoy their media culture better.

A theater is not only a place to enjoy movies but a place of interaction with other viewers and memories.

The idea of a cinema itself will always serve as a place of enthusiasm and joy in the minds of the generation who experienced burden-free cinema, but it is uncertain whether this idea will be able to be passed down to later generations.

Songeun Lee

Grade 11

Cheongshim International Academy