A recent report conducted by the Korean Film Council revealed that about half of the moviegoers in South Korea have decreased their frequency of attending theaters in the past year, with the primary reason being the high cost of tickets. The survey indicated that 45.8% of respondents reported attending theaters less frequently compared to the previous year, with only 12.1% stating they had increased their attendance. Key contributing factors for reducing visits included the perception that there are fewer appealing films currently available and the abundance of content available on streaming platforms.

The report highlighted that one in four respondents, around 25.1%, cited the burden of theater ticket prices as their reason for attending less often. Following this, reasons such as the lack of interesting films (21.5%) and the availability of appealing options on OTT services (17.5%) were noted. The findings also showed that 67.6% of all respondents believe ticket prices significantly influence their decisions to attend films, particularly among younger audiences in their 20s and 30s.

In light of these findings, the report pointed out a significant gap between the perceived appropriate price of tickets and the actual pricing, which currently sits between 14,000 and 15,000 KRW. The survey indicated that many consumers consider a more acceptable price to be between 8,000 and 10,000 KRW. As a solution, the report proposed customized measures, such as providing vouchers for families of three or more and offering support for the youth demographic, rather than applying blanket price reductions across the board.