"Citizen Group Reports CGV and Others to Fair Trade Commission Over Movie Ticket Price Fixing"

"Telecom and Card Company Discount Cost Settlement Opaque"
Three Multiplex Companies Say "Unilateral Claims Only"

Civil society organizations, including the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy's Livelihood Hope Headquarters, announced on the 26th that they have reported the three multiplex companies?CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox?to the Korea Fair Trade Commission on charges of ticket price collusion and profiteering.

The movie 'The Outlaws 2' has surpassed 10 million cumulative viewers. It is the first time in three years since Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite' in 2019, and the first since the COVID-19 pandemic. On the 12th, Seoul CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall was bustling with citizens. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

On the same day, they held a press conference in front of CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, stating, "The three multiplex companies raised weekend ticket prices from 12,000 won to 15,000 won," and argued, "This profiteering is burdening moviegoers and pushing the film industry into crisis."

They claimed, "The three multiplex companies raised prices citing deficits during the COVID-19 period, but the pandemic has ended and CGV has returned to profitability," adding, "Ticket prices should rightfully return to pre-COVID-19 levels."

The Korea Exhibition Development Association countered that these are unilateral claims. In a statement released that day, they said, "The crisis in the Korean film industry triggered by COVID-19 is ongoing. Compared to the boom period before the pandemic, recovery has only reached about 60%." They emphasized, "The increase in movie ticket prices was an unavoidable choice due to decreased theater attendance, rising film production costs, and various fixed expenses," and added, "We are still making efforts to survive."

Some argue that theaters do not properly settle the costs of discounts provided through telecom companies and credit card companies with distributors. Lee Ha-young, an operating committee member of the Korean Film Producers Association, said, "Even if ticket prices rise, the average revenue per customer, which settles profits between producers and distributors, is falling, reducing producers' profits."

The Korea Exhibition Development Association rebutted, "We fairly settle and distribute the actual amounts reimbursed from telecom and credit card companies to distributors." Regarding the claim that average revenue per customer has fallen despite price increases, they stated, "It rose from 8,444 won in 2019 to 10,080 won last year."