"Confirmed Cases May Reach 400" Heightened Alert to Social Distancing Level 1.5 Sparks Attention on December Movie Releases

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has remained in the 200s for three consecutive days, leading to the elevation of social distancing to level 1.5, the Chungmuro area is once again on edge.

On the 17th, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting, "COVID-19 prevention is facing a crisis," and stated, "Starting at midnight on the 19th, social distancing in the metropolitan area will be raised from level 1 to level 1.5."

Earlier, Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), warned at a regular briefing held on the 16th at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk, "Various short-term forecasts indicate that if contact between people is not reduced at the current level, daily confirmed cases could reach close to 300 to 400 in two to four weeks."

With the elevation to social distancing level 1.5, the number of people allowed in most multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, and wedding halls will be restricted. Attendance at religious activities and sports events will also be reduced to within 30% capacity.

Theaters will inevitably face restrictions as well. With social distancing raised to level 1.5 centered around Seoul and the metropolitan area, the recently lifted seat distancing inside theaters is expected to be reinstated. Furthermore, the resumption of stage greetings, which had cautiously restarted recently, has become uncertain. Consequently, films scheduled for release in December are anxiously revisiting their calendars and reconsidering plans.

However, the seat distancing due to the social distancing elevation should be viewed as a separate issue from box office performance. Although seat distancing in theaters was lifted earlier, audience numbers have not recovered significantly. From the 9th to the 15th, 946,361 people visited theaters, which is about 100,000 fewer than the previous week's 1.08 million. In fact, this is a decrease compared to before the implementation of seat distancing.

Head Jeong Eun-kyeong diagnosed, "Increased indoor activities, insufficient ventilation leading to exposure to crowded, enclosed, and close-contact environments, and the rise of respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza are overlapping risk factors," adding, "This is a very critical time that will determine whether the spread becomes nationwide."

Health authorities cautiously anticipate more confirmed COVID-19 cases in December. As films like "Seobok" and "Life is Beautiful" are actively promoting for their releases, there is heightened attention on the situation. Disruptions to various promotional activities, such as general screenings and stage greetings, which inevitably gather large crowds, are unavoidable.

The key factor is the total number of theatergoers. As previously noted, audiences may feel reluctant to visit theaters, which are enclosed indoor spaces. Therefore, there is concern in the film industry that audience numbers may noticeably decline in December. In a market where overall theater attendance is not high, no one wants to showcase their "child-like" film to a sparse audience. Yet, postponing releases indefinitely is not an option either. Hence, the industry is watching the COVID-19 spread with tension.

As audience safety is as important as box office success, this is a time when choices must be made for the benefit of all.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.