The South Korean government will distribute 2.25 million movie discount vouchers worth 6,000 won ($4.08) each starting May 13, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday, accelerating support for a film industry it describes as still in structural decline despite recent box office hits.
The rollout, conducted with the Korean Film Council, comes just over a month after the National Assembly passed a supplementary budget on April 10. It arrives more than two months earlier than the first round of vouchers issued in 2025, which began on July 25.
The government has allocated 65.59 billion won to the film sector under the supplementary budget, including 27.1 billion won for the voucher program and 38.49 billion won for Korean film production support. While the production support figure was reduced from the original 36.1 billion won proposal, the voucher allocation of 4.5 million units was preserved at last year's level.
Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said earlier this week that the film industry "needs CPR," citing persistent weakness even as the historical drama "The King's Warden" surpassed 16 million admissions. The first 2025 voucher round drove an 1.8-fold increase in attendance, prompting a second distribution of 1.88 million leftover units in September.
Vouchers will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis through the apps and websites of CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q. Independent, art-house and senior cinemas will also accept them at box offices.
Combined with the expanded "Culture Day" discount on the second and last Wednesdays of each month, moviegoers can watch films for as little as 4,000 won. Telecom membership discounts cannot be combined with the vouchers.
The ministry will launch a public-private holdback consultative body on May 20.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
