The South Korean government is launching another round of movie ticket discount vouchers in a continued effort to revive the struggling film industry and bring audiences back to theaters. Starting at 10 a.m. on September 8, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council will distribute 1.88 million movie discount vouchers, each worth 6,000 won (approximately $4.50).
The vouchers will be available through multiple channels to ensure widespread accessibility. Moviegoers can claim them via the websites and mobile apps of major multiplex chains, including CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox, and CineQ. The discount program also extends beyond large theater chains to include independent theaters, arthouse cinemas, small neighborhood theaters, and venues specifically designed for senior citizens across the country.
The distribution system has been designed for user convenience, with two vouchers automatically added to each member's account upon claiming. These vouchers can then be applied when purchasing movie tickets through the respective platforms. However, the program operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis at the point of payment, meaning once a theater's voucher allocation is exhausted, the discount will no longer be available at that location.
Recognizing that some potential users may not be familiar with online reservation systems, the Ministry of Culture and the Korean Film Council have established a dedicated customer support hotline at 070-4027-0279. This service is specifically designed to guide users through the ticket purchasing process via websites or mobile applications, ensuring that technological barriers don't prevent people from accessing the discounts.
This current batch of 1.88 million vouchers represents the remaining portion of a much larger initiative that began earlier in the summer. These vouchers are drawn from the original 4.5 million vouchers that were initially issued on July 25, but went unused by the September 2 deadline. Any unused vouchers remaining in member accounts will expire automatically once the program concludes.
The broader context of this initiative reveals the significant financial commitment the government has made to supporting the entertainment industry. The Korean government originally allocated 27.1 billion won (approximately $19.4 million) from its national budget specifically for this movie ticket discount voucher program. The second distribution represents an effort to maximize the utilization of these allocated funds while continuing to stimulate domestic consumption.
The government's intervention comes at a critical time for South Korea's film industry, which continues to grapple with the lasting effects of the pandemic. Official statistics show that total movie theater attendance in 2024 reached 123.13 million viewers, representing only about 54 percent of the pre-pandemic attendance figures. In comparison, 2019 saw 226.68 million theater visits, highlighting the dramatic decline the industry has experienced and the urgent need for recovery measures like these discount voucher programs.
