As the second round of 6,000 won movie discount vouchers is set to be distributed, the film 'Hope' is expected to be the biggest beneficiary.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will distribute approximately 2.05 million movie discount vouchers starting at 10:00 a.m. on July 8. These vouchers can be used on the websites and apps of multiplex cinema chains, including CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox, and CineQ. Two vouchers per person will be automatically deposited into the online member coupon boxes for each cinema chain, and they can be applied when purchasing movie tickets.

This marks the second round of distribution, coming about two months after the first round, which was launched on May 13 following the securing of a 27.1 billion won supplementary budget (for 4.5 million vouchers) to stabilize public livelihood and revitalize the film industry.

The film industry is welcoming the news of the 6,000 won discount voucher distribution. With the summer season, the peak period of the year, now underway, there are predictions that the vouchers will draw audiences back to theaters.

In particular, 'Hope' is drawing attention as the film most likely to benefit from this distribution. 'Hope,' which has the highest production budget in the history of Korean cinema, is set to be released on July 16, the second week of the voucher distribution period. It has emerged as the most anticipated film due to it being the first new project in 10 years from director Na Hong-jin, a representative figure in Korean cinema, and the buzz surrounding its selection for the competition section at the Cannes Film Festival prior to its release.

In addition, small and medium-sized films are also expected to benefit, including the foreign film 'Moana' releasing on July 8, 'Minions & Monsters' on July 15, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' on July 29, as well as 'Hana Korea,' 'Secret Agent,' and 'Circuit,' which are all scheduled for release around the same period.

The effectiveness of the discount vouchers was already proven during the first round. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the box office revenue for the one week immediately following the first distribution was 15.9 billion won, a 47.9% increase compared to the 10.7 billion won recorded in the week prior to the distribution.


(Reported by Kim Ji-hye, SBS Entertainment News)