It’s no wonder that Korea is often hailed as one of the most cinephile nations in the world, you would go to the movies every chance you got too if you saw these theaters. Whether you’re a film buff or just curious about global cinema, you can’t escape the ever present K-Drama’s and K-Films that are making their way around the globe. Korean movies are famous for being deep, surprising, and totally gripping. Whether you’re laughing one minute or crying the next, the storytelling always hits hard. But what really sets Korea apart is how they treat the movie-going experience.
National Movie Day: A Celebration of Cinema Culture
In recognition of the country’s deep passion for film, South Korea celebrates National Movie Day every October 27. This annual event offers moviegoers deeply discounted tickets, often just a few thousand won (a couple of US dollars), and showcases both new releases and classics. Expect to see students skipping school and retirees catching matinees.
Korean Movies That Made History
Korean cinema is rich with powerful storytelling and visionary directors. Here are just a few films that have achieved legendary status:
- Oldboy (2003) – Directed by Park Chan-wook, this neo-noir thriller stunned global audiences with its bold narrative and stylized violence.
- The Host (2006) – Bong Joon-ho’s genre-bending monster film tackled environmental issues and family dynamics with critical and commercial success.
- Train to Busan (2016) – A zombie blockbuster that combined action with heart, it became a global hit and revived interest in Korean genre films.
- Parasite (2019) – The first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece is a sharp critique of class inequality.
The Theater Experience: Why Korean Cinemas Are the Best
Ask anyone who has watched a movie in South Korea and they’ll likely rave about the experience. Korean cinemas are state-of-the-art, combining luxury, technology, and convenience in a way few countries can match. Korean cinemas aren’t just “good” — they are an experience. In Korea, going to the movies is next-level fancy, and honestly, as a person who loves the movie going experience, I’m ruined for anything else.
Here’s Why Korean Cinemas are Premium:
- Fancy Food: We’re talking actual meals — think sushi rolls, gourmet burgers, wine flights, and even full-course dinners delivered to your seat.
- Wild Screens: Regular screen? Boring. Korea’s got 4DX (seats that move, spray mist, even smells like a forest during scenes) and ScreenX (giant panoramic screens that make you feel inside the movie).
- Comfy Everything: Tempur-Pedic recliners. Plush blankets. Private pods. It’s basically a five-star hotel, but for movies.
- Popular Vibes: In Korea, going to the movies is a top-tier weekend event. While many movies do sell out, it’s best to plan ahead for tickets, most theaters often stay open close to 24 hours and have movies well into the middle of the night and starting at 6:00am. I have been known to catch a day time flick or two, and those seats are available day-of with no problems.
Cine de Chef
So for the real time portion of this post, you know I had to take my visiting bestie and show her just how fancy movie going should be: I knew Cine de Chef would be just the experience we were looking for. Tickets to the Cine de Chef in CGV theaters can be bought here.
Our day started with a tasty lunch at the Cine de Chef restaurant – it is beautifully decorated with wonderful service and a sophisticated ambiance to set the scene for our movie going afternoon. After our lunch of salmon, mushroom soup, caesar and burrata salads with warm bread, we made our way up the private elevator to the next floor. You are greeted with a personal attendant who helps you pick out your drinks and show you into the theater.
The theater is tiered with pods containing tempur pedic beds that adjust for each person, including a softly lit nightstand with chocolates, a soft blanket and pillow for comfort. So take your shoes off and get comfy because you are about to have the best movie watching experience ever. Cheers!
I still love going to the movies and think that a theater experience is really hard to beat. So excuse me if I go see every movie I can while we are here, soaking up this wonderful cultural perk!
