Tired of long lines at the cinema, uncomfortable seating, munching on dried squid and popcorn? Well, for moviegoers with big pockets, a new movie house run by CGV, the largest theatre chain in Korea, might be just the answer. The company announced May 1st the opening of the nation's most luxurious cinema house in Seoul. Boasting food from fine hotel menus, equiped with amenities like electrically adjustable seats costing 8 million won apiece, a large-size screen costing 15 million won (three times that of ordinary screens) and floor-mounted speakers, the theatre is bound to please even the most discriminating viewer. Options include five-course meals cooked by five chefs trained at the famous French cooking school Le Cordon Bleu. Valet parking is available, and guests can be escorted to their seats if they so desire (the theatre has 30 seats). Admission fees range from 60,000 won (US$ 65) to 80,000 won (US$ 86) during lunch time and go up to 80,000-100,000 won (US$ 108) in the evening, compared to 7,000-8,000 won at regular theaters. The CGV's move to open the theater comes amid intensifying competition among theater operators, who are rushing to provide high-end services in order to attract bigger audiences.
[Source: The Hankyoreh]
can you say... ridiculous? Is there really a market for this kind of shit in Seoul? Maybe in Beijing where the nouveau riche are still willing to throw their money around in order to attract attention, but Seoulites don't seem like the right crowd for this kind of thing.
Sadly, yes, there really is a market for this kind of shit in Seoul. Only time will tell how big of a market slice that actually is, though.
Well, if you think about it, I'd imagine a five course meal from any 5-star restaurant would probably cost the same thing, only this time you get to watch the comic antics of Song Kang-ho while sipping on Dom Perignon. (Not that I would pay that much money)
Now I'm trying to remember if it's CJ Entertainment or CGV that's building a theatre here in Los Angeles.
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