Minister Hwang Hee, Realizing the Reality of Theater Collapse, "Will Do Our Best to Support"

Watching the movie 'Jasan Eobo' at Megabox Dongdaemun
"It's a film by director Lee Joon-ik, but no audience makes me feel heavy-hearted"
Considering financial support "Also considering enhancing the role of the Korean Film Council"

"Although the distribution environment of films is rapidly changing, the 'cinematic experience' in theaters remains important and meaningful." This was stated by Hwang Hee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on the evening of the 6th while watching the film Jasan Eobo at Megabox Dongdaemun in Seoul. Despite the theater ecosystem facing a comprehensive crisis due to the spread of COVID-19 and the rise of online video services (OTT), he emphasized that "the emotions conveyed on the big screen are different."

Listing a few advantages does not mean the recession will recover. According to the Korea Film Council’s integrated ticketing system, the number of viewers who visited theaters that day was 41,025. The only film that attracted more than 10,000 viewers was Jasan Eobo (10,088 viewers). Minister Hwang, who witnessed the depressed atmosphere firsthand, could not hide his regret. "This is a film by director Lee Joon-ik, who made The King and the Clown (2005) and Masquerade (2014), but the low audience turnout weighs heavily on my heart."

The biggest obstacle to attracting audiences is the fear of COVID-19 infection. However, there have been no cases of COVID-19 transmission inside theaters. This is thanks to the faithful implementation of social distancing and quarantine guidelines such as spaced seating between viewers, mask-wearing, and temperature checks upon entry. On this day, Minister Hwang also said, "I confirmed once again that theaters are adhering well to quarantine guidelines," adding, "I hope many people watch good films like Jasan Eobo to gain courage and comfort. I look forward to more Korean films being released as a result." He further promised, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will do its best to support this."

Last year, the support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Film Council was limited to a 90% reduction in the film development fund levy and an additional 800 million won for quarantine expenses. Requests from theaters for rent support, which they have consistently appealed for, were rejected on the grounds that they are subsidiaries of large corporations. The special employment support sector designation by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 16th of last month was no different. It is difficult to receive benefits such as paid leave or suspension allowances by adjusting part-time staff numbers according to peak and off-peak seasons. Many theater officials voiced in unison, "We cannot give up even the existing services."

Minister Hwang’s idea for relief measures is financial support. He stated, "Ultimately, it is a matter of money," and added, "We can consider loans centered on large corporations or restructuring the film development fund." He also said, "We will consider enhancing the role of the Korea Film Council," and pledged, "We will create an environment where movie-loving audiences can actively return to theaters as soon as possible."

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