[Edaily Starin Reporter YUN GI BACK ] Mr. A, an office worker in his 30s, makes a point of going to the theater on opening day whenever a highly anticipated film premieres at Megabox. It’s not just to watch the movie. He goes to get his hands on limited-edition merchandise, such as original tickets and art prints, released to coincide with the premiere. “It doesn’t end with just watching the movie; I collect the merchandise because I want to preserve a special memento of the films I love,” Mr. A said. A hinted that he plans to take a half-day off work today (the 16th) to visit the theater and get an original ticket for the movie “The Intern,” which opens today.

Moving beyond simply watching a movie, a trend is spreading where viewers choose specific theaters and showtimes just to receive merchandise. The number of so-called “merchandise hunters”—who choose different theaters based on which posters, photo cards, and film marks are offered for the same movie—is on the rise.
According to the film industry on the 16th, multiplexes have recently been offering a flood of various special perks—including posters, photo cards, film marks, and original tickets—with unique designs for each new release. From the audience’s perspective, consumption no longer ends with simply watching a movie; collecting merchandise available only at specific theaters has become an established way to enjoy the movie experience.
This merchandise competition is also evident in the numbers. As of the 15th, “Cinema Goods”—a website that aggregates information on movie merchandise—had over 270 events listed that are either currently underway or scheduled by CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox, and CineQ. CGV alone accounts for around 90 of these events. In effect, the four major theater chains are engaged in a virtually constant competition over merchandise.
Special offers are also becoming increasingly specialized. For example, different posters are provided during the first and second weeks of a film’s release, or even for the same movie, designs vary by theater chain. It is also common for theaters to release merchandise exclusively for special screening formats such as IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX (a 4-dimensional movie screening system). This also has the effect of increasing repeat viewings—when audiences watch the same movie multiple times.
As a result, the criteria for choosing a theater are changing. While distance from home, showtimes, and seat comfort used to be the main factors, “what kind of merchandise is offered” has recently become a key deciding factor. There are quite a few moviegoers who travel to theaters they don’t usually visit to get the merchandise they want, or who book early-morning showings on the first day of distribution. Mr. B, a man in his 20s, said, “Since the theater near my house doesn’t offer the merchandise, I often go out of my way to find another location,” adding, “For free merchandise you get when watching a movie, the quality is surprisingly good, so it’s worth keeping.”

From the theaters’ perspective, merchandise is more than just a simple giveaway. In a landscape where it is difficult to differentiate themselves from Over-the-Top (OTT) services, it serves as a means to attract audiences by offering “something you can only get by coming to the theater.” This effect is particularly pronounced for animated films, blockbusters, and art house films with strong fan bases, where merchandise plays a significant role in driving ticket sales.
The fact that these items are limited editions also stimulates the desire to collect them. Since they are hard to find once a film’s run ends—combined with the fun of collecting special editions unique to each film or theater—merchandise serves as a “souvenir” that lasts longer than the movie ticket itself.
The formula for theater spending is also expanding from “movie + popcorn” to “movie + merchandise.” In an industry struggling with declining audience numbers, a single limited-edition poster or ticket is becoming a new incentive to draw audiences back to theaters. For moviegoers, the key question has broadened from simply “What movie should I watch?” to “Where should I watch it to get the merchandise?”
A film industry insider noted, “Recently, merchandise has often been a deciding factor in when to book tickets or where to watch a movie,” adding, “It has established itself as a key marketing tool that turns fan enthusiasm for a film into actual attendance and encourages repeat viewings.”