Beat the heat at the movies: 2.05 million 6,000-won discount coupons up for grabs

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council said Monday they will distribute about 2.05 million second-round discount coupons — each worth 6,000 won off a movie ticket — on Wednesday.

The coupons will be automatically loaded into the online membership accounts of customers at four multiplex chains: CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and CineQ, with two coupons issued per member at each theater. They can be applied at checkout starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a chain exhausts its allotment, the discount ends and any unused coupons in members' accounts will be automatically voided.

New members who sign up after the distribution begins can still receive coupons as long as their chosen theater has not run out. Foreign nationals and minors are also eligible, provided they can register as members at the respective theater.

Independent cinemas, art-house theaters, community screening venues and senior-focused theaters outside the four major multiplex chains are not part of the two-round distribution system. Those venues have been offering on-site discounts on a first-come, first-served basis continuously since May 13.

The discount coupons can be combined with other promotions, including Culture Day offers, early-bird screenings, youth and senior discounts, disability discounts and credit card billing discounts.

The ministry secured 4.5 million 6,000-won discount coupons through a supplementary budget of 27.1 billion won ($17.4 million), aimed at stabilizing household finances and revitalizing the film industry. The first round of coupons was distributed on May 13.

A ministry official said box office sales in the week immediately following the first distribution reached 15.9 billion won, a 47.9 percent increase from the 10.7 billion won recorded in the week before — confirming that the discount program had a positive effect on theater attendance. "We hope that families and friends will use the second-round coupons to enjoy a great time at the movies during the upcoming summer vacation and holiday season," the official added.