"Movie Ticket Prices Are Expensive" Choi Min-sik's Criticism Prompts Film Industry Solidarity Action

"Call for Discussion on Ticket Price Reduction by the Three Major Theaters" Statement Released

[Image source=MBC 'Son Seok-hee's Questions' screen capture]

As attention focused on actor Choi Min-sik's criticism of movie ticket prices, the Film Industry Solidarity expressed support for CGV's initiative to promote half-price ticket events.

The Film Industry Solidarity, which includes the National Film Industry Labor Union, the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK), the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) board, the Korean Film Actors Association, and the Korean Screenwriters Guild (SGK), issued a statement on the 27th saying, "We welcome CGV's announcement that this is the 'first attempt to find a breakthrough through consultation with production and distribution companies to revitalize the film industry.'"

On the 22nd, CGV announced that it would expand the "Culture Day," which offers tickets at half price (7,000 won) on the last Wednesday of every month, into a "Culture Week," running for four days starting from the 26th.

The Film Industry Solidarity stated, "Regarding CGV's 'Culture Week,' we hope there was no unfair infringement of rights by the involved production and distribution companies. This event is a one-time occurrence, and CGV surely knows better than anyone that it cannot be sustained without fundamental agreement with the film industry. We hope this event will serve as an opportunity for the three major theater chains, including CGV, to engage in proactive discussions on ticket price reductions, unfair settlement issues, and resolving the increasingly severe screen monopoly."

The content and the image are not related. [Photo by Yonhap News]

The Solidarity explained that in major countries where active government support and industry growth have synergized, the theater market growth rate has recovered by more than 90% compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, South Korea's total audience number stood at 85.4 million as of the 25th, only about 56% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level. This is also lower compared to 2023.

Regarding Choi Min-sik's remarks on the 17th on MBC's "Son Seok-hee's Questions," where he said, "Haven't theater prices gone up a lot? They should come down. If you suddenly raise them so much when the tide is rising, even I won't go," the Film Industry Solidarity expressed gratitude, saying, "We thank Choi Min-sik for voicing the need to reduce movie ticket prices for the sake of the Korean film industry and ecosystem."