The excitement for Christopher Nolan's new film 'Odyssey' is palpable. In particular, the IMAX theater at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall, known as 'Yongamx,' has become a battleground for ticket seekers. When ticket sales opened, the waiting list on the CGV app soared to over 9,000, and the 1 a.m. screening sold out. This is a welcome sight for an industry that has struggled with declining audience numbers.
However, this surge in interest has been accompanied by rampant ticket scalping. On resale platforms, tickets for Yongamx, which normally cost around 20,000 won, have been listed for over 100,000 won each, with some even reaching 120,000 won. This represents a markup of five to six times the original price. In some cases, sellers have listed more than ten tickets for a single screening, indicating that these transactions are not merely personal exchanges but rather organized scalping operations.
'Odyssey' is notable for being the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, with an original aspect ratio of 1.43:1. Among the 27 IMAX theaters in South Korea, only the Yongsan I-Park Mall can display this aspect ratio. As word spread that 'to truly experience the film, it must be seen in Yongamx,' demand surged. As of August 10, the film had attracted over 2.13 million viewers, with 220,000 of those attending IMAX screenings, accounting for more than 10% of total admissions. The more difficult it is to obtain tickets, the more opportunities arise for scalpers.
The challenge lies in the lack of effective measures to regulate online ticket scalping. While the performing arts and sports sectors have seen significant regulatory enhancements this year, the film industry remains largely unprotected. New amendments to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act will take effect on August 28, prohibiting the fraudulent purchase of tickets for resale and imposing fines of up to 50 times the ticket price for habitual offenders.
In contrast, the current Minor Offenses Punishment Act allows for the punishment of offline scalping but lacks legal grounds to directly regulate online ticket sales. A proposed amendment to the Promotion of Movies and Video Works Act, which would prohibit the sale or facilitation of movie tickets at inflated prices, is currently pending in the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has expressed support for the amendment aimed at curbing ticket scalping. With regulations already in place for scalping in the performing arts and sports, there is no reason for the film industry to remain a regulatory blind spot.
Scalping should not be viewed merely as private transactions between individuals buying and selling tickets at inflated prices. When someone hoards multiple tickets and resells them at a premium, it diminishes the opportunity for regular moviegoers to see the film at a fair price. The profits from scalping do not benefit the film industry or its creators.
As audiences return to theaters, eager to watch quality films in a good environment, this enthusiasm is a positive development for the film industry. However, it must not be allowed to become a profit-making avenue for scalpers. Lawmakers need to quickly address the regulatory gaps, and theaters and resale platforms should strengthen measures to prevent abnormal bulk purchases and fraudulent transactions. Ensuring that tickets can be purchased at fair prices is essential.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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