Stream K-Dramas at OnDemandKorea

[HanCinema's News] South Korean Movie Theaters Back to Rebroadcasts Following Increased COVID-19 Restrictions

With South Korea's current COVID-19 prevention measures jumping up to level three, there will not be any major promotional pushes for new films in wide release before the end of the year. Compared to the initial outbreak, independent films in South Korea have continued to release at a regular schedule. Additionally, rebroadcasts of films old and new have become increasingly common to allow for some variety at multiplexes.

Advertisement

"Josee" is the main film of note with a definite release date at the South Korean box office. The remake of a Japanese romantic drama of the same title, that original property is itself also being rereleased in South Korean theaters as commercial film programmers struggle with trying to build an appealing schedule with limited titles. The original Japanese version of "Be with You" is similarly being rereleased by CGV in order to try and build on a limited theme.

Christopher Nolan movies have also been popular for this purpose, mainly because the last Hollywood release of note in the South Korean market was also a Christopher Nolan movie. Documentaries, foreign and domestic, have also enjoyed wide distribution at movie theaters for this same reason. "Our Cat" and "Buen Camino" are even getting rereleased for this same purpose.

But none of these various plans have shown much success when it comes to actually people to come into the movie theaters. In the age of COVID-19, South Korean movie theaters have increasingly become a boutique operation, with public health concerns stymying any possible major successes. It is not known when or if a reversion to previous norms may be possible.

Written by William Schwartz

❎ Try Ad-free