The coupons will allow moviegoers to watch films for about 8,000 won to 9,000 won, a significant discount from the regular 14,000 won to 15,000 won ticket price.
The coupon program is part of a 461.4 billion won ($314 million) supplementary budget for the ministry approved by the National Assembly in April, as the government seeks to cushion the culture, sports and tourism sectors from weak consumption, high oil prices and inflation.
In all, 65.6 billion won has been earmarked for the film sector to help revive private consumption and support the local cinema ecosystem. Of that amount, 27.1 billion won was allocated to fund 4.5 million movie discount coupons worth 6,000 won each. The remaining 2.25 million coupons are scheduled to be distributed in July.
The support package for Korean film production includes an additional 26 billion won for mid-budget films, 4.5 billion won for independent and art films and 8 billion won for a newly created program supporting films that use advanced production technologies.
The expanded support will cover live-action feature films with net production costs of 10 billion won to less than 15 billion won, as well as independent and art films with net production costs of 1 billion won to less than 2 billion won.
The measures come as the film industry continues to struggle in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2023 to 2025, locally produced commercial films posted an average return of minus 27 percent, with only 18 percent of titles surpassing their break-even points. By comparison, commercial films released between 2016 and 2019 recorded an average return of 10 percent, while 40 percent exceeded their break-even points.
Beginning May 13, each person will be able to receive two coupons through the websites and mobile apps of major multiplex chains CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q. The coupons will be automatically issued to each theater member’s online coupon box. Once the allocated supply at each theater runs out, unused coupons will expire automatically.
For independent and art film theaters, small cinemas and senior-friendly theaters, the coupons will be available through their websites. Theaters unable to issue the coupons online because of system limitations will distribute them on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. A list of participating theaters will be available on the Korean Film Council’s website.
The discount can be combined with other benefits. Moviegoers who visit CGV, Lotte Cinema or Megabox on Culture Day, held on the second and last Wednesday of every month, can use the 6,000-won coupon on top of the 10,000-won Culture Day ticket price, lowering the final price to 4,000 won.
The coupon can also be combined with discounts for people with disabilities, seniors, teenagers and early-morning screenings. If the final discounted price falls below 1,000 won, however, the ticket price will be adjusted to 1,000 won. Discounts offered by telecommunications companies cannot be combined with the coupon.
A report released by NICE Investors Service on April 28 showed that Korean commercial films, excluding independent and art films, recorded a return of minus 33.1 percent in 2025 among films with net production costs of at least 3 billion won. The sharp downturn has been blamed on rising production costs, higher break-even points and a shrinking supply of high-quality theatrical releases.
Industry concerns have also grown over a weakening production pipeline. The culture ministry said last year that fewer than 20 films with production budgets of more than 3 billion won were expected to be produced in the country, compared with around 100 in a typical year, as investment slowed and theater attendance remained weak.
Korea's box office in 2025 underscored the difficult market environment. No film reached the 10 million admissions milestone, and only one Korean title ranked among the year's five most-watched films, reflecting the industry's struggle to regain its pre-pandemic momentum.
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