Audience Numbers Inflated in 'Geudaega Joguk' Film Also Avoids Development Fund

Ticket Price Also 7,508 Won... 'Beomjoedosi 2' at 65% Level

The movie 'Geudaega Joguk' was found to have falsely entered ticketing information into the Korea Film Council's integrated ticketing system during a police investigation. There were more fraudulent activities. Among the sold-out late-night screenings, 70% were concentrated in theaters exempt from the film development fund levy. The ticket prices were also significantly low. The distributor funded two preview tickets for 30,000 won (15,000 won each). However, many tickets were issued at 7,000 won each.

According to data released on the 16th by Kim Seung-su, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the People Power Party, out of 200 sold-out screenings of 'Geudaega Joguk,' 137 were concentrated in eight theaters exempt from the film development fund levy. This means no film development fund was paid at all. The exemption system for the film development fund levy was implemented in October 2021 to waive the 3% charge on ticket prices for theaters whose sales sharply declined due to COVID-19.

Among the 200 sold-out screenings, 106 had ticket prices of 7,000 won. There were 16 screenings at 8,000 won, 30 at 9,000 won, and 48 at 10,000 won. There was not a single screening at full price. The average ticket price was 7,508 won, which is 65% of the 11,487 won average for 'The Outlaws 2,' which was screened during the same period.

Rep. Kim said, "The claim that the full-house screenings were created by voluntary multiple purchases from supporters of Joguk or by crowdfunding set at about 15,000 won per ticket by the distributor is far from the truth," adding, "Additional investigations should be conducted regarding the inflation of audience numbers and deliberate evasion of the film development fund."

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