Solo movie-watching in Korea has become the latest trend after solo drinking and dining out, but why?! We dig deeper to find out about this new phenomenon!
In Korea it is not unusual to see people out alone, perhaps dining in a restaurant or drinking in a coffee shop or bar, as many Koreans are single which has affected Korea's notorious low birth rate. Just a few years ago, Korean society looked down on solo activities since they gave a sense of "having no friends" or "being lonely", but all that has changed recently!
Solo activities including solo vacations have gained popularity in recent years, and heading to the cinema to watch a movie alone has become the latest trend. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching a film at home alone, however, part of going to the cinema for me is to share the experience with someone else, or even have a cute date night there.
According to CGV, one of South Korea's largest cinema chains, the percentage of single-person viewings reached about 25 percent during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, influenced by social distancing measures.
Post-pandemic, the trend persisted, with single-person audience percentages recorded at 17 percent in 2022, 19 percent in 2023, and a slight rise to 21 percent as of Sept. 18, 2024. Similarly, Lotte Cinema reported a 1 percent year-on-year increase in single-person ticket sales from January to August 2024.
Let's take a look at this video!
Celebrities have also embraced this trend, sharing their solo movie experiences with fans. Kang Min Kyung of the musical duo Davichi, for example, showcased her solo movie outing on her YouTube channel. This of course will influence the trend in Korean society as many Koreans tend to be a fan of the idol culture.
This has however helped the cinema sector, as due to inflation many people have decided to opt out for the cinema and watch streaming apps at home such as Netflix, Amazon or Disney+. Of course, all the singletons heading to the cinema will aid the box office recovery.
The Korea Times have also expressed a recent post on Instagram which gained a lot of feedback from the public, as to why they think solo movie's have become a new trend in Korea, let's take a look.
Is this weird? Here's what we think!
In my opinion, I think it's great that people are supporting the cinema industry and heading to the cinema, however I think it is nice to share the experience as well as being social with another person. Coming from the UK, the solo culture although it does happen is very rare, as most people dine out together, go to the cinema together and take vacations together.
Let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
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