Incheon Dongchun Station CGV Drive-in Square One... A Major Transformation of the Car Theater
Korea's First Urban-Centered Drive-in Theater... Enjoy Shopping, Relaxation, and Entertainment Simultaneously
Fan-Shaped Parking Lines Widen Viewing Angles... Large 20m x 8.3m Latest Screen
Watch While Enjoying Food Like a Picnic or Camping... Convenient Facilities and Online Booking Available
The area around Dongchun Station (Square One) in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, is a bustling district. Large supermarkets and shopping malls are concentrated here. Among the large buildings stood the Art Plug, a cultural house operated by Yeonsu-gu Office as a living culture space. Various performances and educational programs were held in the small theater, rehearsal rooms, and classrooms. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, it has not been operating normally since last year.
Seob TND, the owner of the Square One shopping mall, purchased this building and the adjacent land from Incheon City last year. They signed a consignment contract with CGV, the lessee of CGV Incheon Yeonsu branch, in February to create a drive-in theater. The "Drive-in Square One," which opens today (the 25th), is exactly that.
Yoon Junsik, Deputy Manager of the Marketing Team at Seob TND, said, "It is the first drive-in theater set up in the city center in Korea," adding, "By attracting customers through an advanced system, we will bring positive energy not only to CGV but also to the tenants of Square One." He continued, "We will make it a special space visited not only by people from Incheon but also from Bucheon, Ilsan, Gimpo, and Anyang through effective theater operation and surrounding maintenance and repairs."
CGV, the operator, has been steadily laying the groundwork since February last year. They did not approach it merely as an untact trend business. It was materialized as part of diversifying business to communicate newly with customers. Last summer, they gained know-how by operating 'Car Cinema' together with Seoul Land. Lee Suhwa, Deputy Manager of the CGV Seoul MS Team, said about the drive-in theater, "It is completely different in character from indoor theaters," and added, "We had to focus on diversifying customer experiences, not only watching movies but also enjoying other fun nearby."
Around Drive-in Square One, besides large supermarkets and shopping malls, there are natural spaces for rest and entertainment. These include Yeonsu Sports Park, Wolrye Neighborhood Park, and Namdong No. 1 Park. It is just a five-minute walk along the Seunggi Stream Bicycle Path. Deputy Manager Yoon said, "These parks were established for urban residents' rest and leisure," adding, "They are perfect for taking a walk before watching a movie."
Most drive-in theaters only have a large screen and a wide parking area. It is common for screens to be old and faded. Drive-in Square One is optimized for movie viewing not only in terms of the screen but also the parking space. The screen size is 20m x 8.3m. The number of vehicles admitted is limited to 100.
Deputy Manager Lee explained, "In a drive-in theater, the clarity of projection and the angle of the vehicle facing the screen are the most important," adding, "We drew the parking lines in a fan shape and arranged the front and rear parking differently to maximize the field of view from the car." He continued, "We created a separate waiting space for 50 vehicles to minimize congestion before movie viewing. Charging stations for electric vehicles are also provided."
The parking lot floor material is asphalt concrete. It has drainage functions, so even when it rains, mud does not stick to shoes or vehicle wheels. The restrooms are also comfortable. Unlike other drive-in theaters with makeshift facilities, they are located in a regular building (the former Art Plug). Deputy Manager Lee said, "During preliminary inspections, we saw many couples disappointed by the restrooms," adding, "We paid a lot of attention to auxiliary facilities such as snack bars to dispel negative perceptions."
On the left side of the screen, there is also a delivery service pickup zone. If you order from CGV Incheon Yeonsu through the mobile app Coupang Eats, you can receive various foods such as popcorn, nachos, and hot dogs. Deputy Manager Yoon said, "Regardless of social distancing, you can enjoy watching movies with delicious food just like during picnics or camping."
Convenience is also confirmed in the online reservation system, which was introduced for the first time in a drive-in theater. It resolved the inconvenience of having to leave due to no parking space while waiting nearby. Deputy Manager Lee explained, "Due to the nature of parking in a drive-in theater, seat allocation is on a first-come, first-served basis," adding, "If you are a first-time viewer, you can park your car in the waiting area two hours before the movie starts and enjoy other experiences like walking or shopping."
Drive-in theaters require a more orderly viewing culture than indoor theaters. This includes prohibiting lights and lowering sound when windows are open. CGV produced a pre-guidance video based on lessons learned from operating 'Car Cinema.' They also provide staff with glow sticks and glow bands to encourage safe control. Deputy Manager Lee confidently said, "We have created thorough guidelines to prepare for any possible accidents."
Drive-in Square One operates once or twice a day. It is scheduled to feature mainly newly released films, but various special screenings are also being prepared. Hwang Jaehyun, CGV Public Relations Team Manager, said, "The main target audience is families and couples," adding, "We plan to hold content and regular events that meet demand." Deputy Manager Yoon also said, "We will enhance the charm of the drive-in theater with space-themed movies that match the night sky and animated films that the whole family can enjoy together."
CGV will start full-scale drive-in theater business beginning with Drive-in Square One. They filed a trademark application for the name 'Drive-in' with the Korean Intellectual Property Office in March. Team Manager Hwang said, "We are also considering models with different characteristics from this case," adding, "We plan to explore and attempt various platforms tailored to the characteristics of regions and environments."
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