Movie coupons cannot save Korean theaters alone

The South Korean government is once again rolling out movie discount coupons, repeating a campaign launched last year to support the struggling theater industry. Starting Wednesday, authorities will distribute 4.5 million cinema vouchers worth up to 6,000 won each on a first-come, first-served basis through a supplementary budget of 27.1 billion won. Half of the coupons will be released this month, with the remainder scheduled for July, the peak summer movie season.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has introduced a series of small discounts and indirect support measures to help theaters weather the downturn. But beginning last year, large-scale state-funded coupon campaigns aimed at reviving movie attendance have increasingly become annual headline-grabbing events.

Last year’s program, conducted on a similar scale, briefly overloaded theater websites and mobile apps as users rushed to secure the vouchers. With ticket prices ranging between 14,000 and 15,000 won, the discounts effectively cut admission prices nearly in half, drawing strong public interest. The campaign produced a temporary increase in ticket sales and theater revenue, giving cinemas a short-lived boost.

What happened afterward, however, is the more important question. Did audiences continue returning to theaters once the coupons disappeared? According to the 2025 review of South Korea’s film industry, total box-office revenue fell 12.4% from a year earlier to 1.047 trillion won, a decline of 147.5 billion won. Total admissions also dropped 13.8% to 106.09 million viewers, down 17.04 million from the previous year.

Despite spending more than 27 billion won on ticket subsidies, the government failed to slow the industry’s downward trend. The figures suggest that while coupon campaigns may provide temporary financial support for theaters, they do little to restore the long-term health of the film business itself.

The challenges facing theaters since the pandemic go far beyond ticket prices. Audiences have grown increasingly accustomed to OTT streaming platforms, content consumption cycles have shortened, and Korean films have struggled to maintain their appeal. In that environment, relying too heavily on discount campaigns risks strengthening consumers’ reluctance to pay full price under normal circumstances. Many viewers simply shift forward movies they already planned to see or make occasional visits during promotional periods rather than increasing overall moviegoing habits.

Countries around the world have introduced various support measures as the global film industry continues to grapple with post-pandemic disruption. Yet few have relied as heavily as South Korea on large-scale coupon programs designed to artificially stimulate theater demand. The government’s repeated use of such campaigns likely reflects hopes for visible short-term results and immediate consumer spending effects. But once the temporary surge fades, the industry’s deeper structural weaknesses remain.

The real issue is not how cheaply movies can be sold, but why audiences should feel compelled to see them in theaters at all. Coupons may fill seats for a time, but they cannot fundamentally change viewing habits or repair the market’s underlying structure. If theaters hope to win audiences back in a lasting way, the priority must be restoring the competitiveness of films themselves and rebuilding a stronger moviegoing culture. Public resources should focus more heavily on developing compelling content and supporting creative talent.