Senior citizens in Seoul now have a movie theater all to themselves. Hollywood Cinema in Jongno has set aside one of its three theaters for seniors, even offering a free show every Monday afternoon. "The free show is on a first-come-first-served basis, so senior citizens line up in front of the theater up to an hour before showtime", a theater employee said.
The theater for seniors, jointly operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Hollywood Cinema, opened in January. Tickets cost W2,000 for those aged 57 or over and W8,000 otherwise. In ordinary cinemas only people 65 and up are entitled to a some 50 percent discount, and ticket prices are still W4,000-W5,000.
"As Korea is becoming an aging society, we felt we needed a cultural facility for senior citizens", said Shin Myeon-ho, a city government official.
Some 6,000 elderly moviegoers visit the theater every month, with the number of customers so far this year already topping 50,000. Most of the customers live in Seoul or the metropolitan area and heard about it through the grapevine.
For its participation in the project Hollywood Cinema was recognized by the Labor Ministry as contributing to the betterment of society on Nov. 11. "It's the first time a cinema has been named a social enterprise", a ministry official said.
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