[InstaWalk] Cinemapho - Another Way to Remember Movies

Opened in August Last Year, a Sanctuary for Film Enthusiasts
Screenings and Merchandise Sales of Past Independent and Art Films
Mini Cinema for Groups of 4-6 Viewers
Request Your Favorite Films While Enjoying Beer and Popcorn
Diverse Movie Goods Including LPs, T-Shirts, and Postcards

The mini movie theater, considered a popular feature of the cafe 'Cinemafo'. The film 'Miss Sloane' starring Jessica Chastain is being screened.
Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] In Mapo-gu, Seoul, there is a place that has emerged as a sanctuary for 'cinephiles'?movie lovers. Some cinephiles even call this place heaven, where you can watch the movies you want while enjoying popcorn and beer. If you walk about five minutes along the alley from Exit 1 of Sangsu Station on Seoul Subway Line 6, you can find someone's heaven. It is a place called 'Cinemapo,' whose identity is ambiguous?whether it is a cafe where you can watch movies or a small movie theater where you can drink beer.

Cinemapo, a two-story detached house with a semi-basement that was remodeled, opened in early August last year and has since become a gathering place for movie fans. It became famous for screening past independent and art films that are hard to find in regular theaters and for selling various movie-related products. The space, which used to have a semi-basement ceiling at a height of 150 cm, was removed to create a high-ceilinged first floor that serves as the movie cafe. In the center of the roughly 25-pyeong (about 82.5 square meters) first floor, the area that was originally the semi-basement was turned into a mini movie theater where 4 to 6 people can sit together and watch films. Surrounding the mini theater are bookshelves and four two-person tables.

When I visited on the 19th, Yorgos Lanthimos's 'The Lobster' (2015) was being screened. After 'The Lobster,' Jessica Chastain's 'Miss Sloane' (2016) was shown. One of the unique advantages here is that the screening titles and times are not fixed. They sometimes screen movies that suit the weather or play films requested by visitors to the cafe. Anyone can request a screening if there is a desired title among the Blu-ray Discs (a portable storage medium with higher video and audio quality than traditional DVDs) available here. Occasionally, audience members bring their own Blu-rays of movies they want to watch, and screenings are arranged upon request.

Cinemapho was transformed into a cinema paradise by remodeling a two-story detached house with a semi-basement/Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

The name Cinemapo combines two meanings: the cultural space 'Cine Mapo' in Mapo and the cafe operated by the film design company '4rest (Forest).' Yoon Se-jun, CEO of '4rest (Forest),' explained the reason for creating this space: "While working on film-related projects, I felt it was a pity that good films were shown in theaters for such a short time and then disappeared. I thought it would be great if many people could watch good films for a long time in one place." The space started like that, and with the addition of various menus such as coffee, beer, popcorn, and hot dogs, the current Cinemapo was completed.

Yoon said there is another hidden meaning in the cafe's name. He explained, "'Cinema for' can also be interpreted as 'Cinema for something.' I hope that the word following 'for' will be created by the visitors, making this space meaningful to each individual." Regarding why it is located in Mapo, he said, "I went to elementary, middle, and high school here, so personally, it feels like my hometown. Although Hongdae has many spaces where you can freely enjoy various cultures such as independent bookstores, there was a lack of film-related spaces, which was unfortunate."

Yoon filled the bookshelves surrounding the mini movie theater with movie goods selected according to his tastes, including LPs, Blu-rays, and T-shirts. Various works spanning from classic films released in the 1980s and 1990s to the latest titles, covering genres such as animation, horror, and romance, stood out. Because of this, enthusiasts who want to reminisce about movies through postcards, posters, DVDs, and other products keep coming. One visitor introduced this place on their social network service (SNS) by saying, "The space I like the most in Seoul after my home. Before I knew it, I had bought over 40 Blu-rays and DVDs here."

Movie OST LPs and badges sold at Cinemapho / Photo by Ga-yeon Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

Actors and independent film directors also visit this place from time to time. In November last year, actor Park Jung-min, who runs a small bookstore nearby, visited and word of mouth spread. After Japanese film industry personnel visited, Japanese tourists have also been frequent visitors.

When you enter and purchase a few postcards and posters featuring scenes from your favorite movies, you receive two 'admission tickets.' These tickets, inspired by old movie tickets, include parodies of movie titles such as 'Last Jackpot' and 'Semi-basement King: Badge Expedition,' as well as information like business hours, social media IDs, and Wi-Fi addresses. The phrase '#I_want_to_grow_up_quickly_and_become_a_multiplex' written at the bottom center catches the eye.

Yoon said, "Visitors to this place can have memories of 'sitting in this space' and also retain the memory of enjoying a movie with someone in a certain space. I hope this place can be used not just to watch movies but as a way to remember a film."