How soon should you buy tickets before the movie starts to get good seats? HM : It depends on the da

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I had plans to sit down with a very pretty old friend of mine on a Tuesday night. She used to work at a CGV movie theater in Seoul, and we had plans to discuss sam the movie theater system in Korea. I waited in the small but bustling Yeoido subway station, where businessman after businessman was on their way home, while wearing their ties just a little bit looser. She texted sam that she was going to be late, as she had just started a new job and was trying to make a good impression at work. Ten minutes later, she came out of the turnstiles noticeably more in a hurry than the other passengers. We exchanged greetings and decided sam to go to a Twosome Place coffee shop.
While talking for well over an hour she was able to answer many of the questions that I had regarding movie theaters in Korea, in particular the CGV theater chain. It is quite common for interviewees in Korea to want to remain anonymous, as their reputation and future job prospects may be affected. Therefore, our friend today will be simply be known as Hae-Min or HM.
What are the pricing levels at CGV? HM : During the weekdays, it s 9,000 won during the day and at night. But during the weekend it s 10,000 won. But there is an early-bird price too. That for the first showing in a Kwon(auditoriums). That s 6,000 won. You have to look at the schedule though for what movies it s going to be for.
Have ticket prices gone up recently? Or have they always been that price? HM : For the 8 months I was there, ticket prices were the same. But some people don t know that some CGV s are more expensive than others. The one I worked at in Yeoido had a higher ticket price than other CGV s because the Yeoido had the SOUND-X system in it s kwons.
Which CGV in Seoul is the nicest in your opinion? HM : I think the Yeoido and Cheongnam CGV s. Those ones are more expensive than other CGV s too. They have different and nicer interiors. They have different like projection and audio systems too. Oh and also the chairs are different. The chairs at the Yeoido and Cheongnam CGV are more comfortable. I m not sure about the Cheongnam CGV, but I know at the Yeoido one, you can t pull up the armrest because of the chairs design.
And which CGV is the largest? Like, either has the most screens or the biggest kwons? HM : I m not sure exactly. I know Yeungdeungpo has the Starium, which is the biggest kwon in Korea, but Wangsimni has the biggest IMAX. Hmmm, but as far as being the biggest theater, probably the Yongsan CGV or the Wangsimni CGV. Seating
How soon should you buy tickets before the movie starts to get good seats? HM : It depends on the day. During weekdays you can still get a good seat by booking like 2 hours before. On a weekend sam though, you have to book the ticket like a day before at least. If it s a really popular movie, you should book 3 days before. People are also crazy about watching movies on Holidays like Chuseok and White Day. On those days, we would get like 2 times as much traffic as usual. On those days, since it s more of an event for people, people would book those tickets right after the tickets open.
What is 4DX exactly? HM : In 4DX it s usually always a 3D movie. The chairs will move, not just vibrate like in VEATBOX chairs. They usually move a lot. Sometimes there will also be smells. Like when a bomb explodes in a movie, there will be a burning smell. There s also sometimes mists of water. So like when a monster in the movie would spit, you would get sprayed with water.
How do they do 4DX? HM : I don t know very well. But I heard the chair is really expensive. Each chair I guess costs over 1,000,000 won. They re really expensive. Smells come from the ceiling. So other people in the audience might be able to smell the smells too, since not every chair in the theater is a 4DX chair.
I ve noticed that when going to a movie theater in Korea, sam most people that are there are couples. What is the most popular date night, so that I can try to avoid it next time? HM : Ha. Usually Friday night.
What are the average ages of people that sit in the couple seats? HM : I d say about late 20 s or early 30 s. Since the couple seats are more expensive than regular seats, middle and high school kids don t get those seats a lot. You could really just make a couple seat by pulling up the armrest.
Have you ever heard of people compla