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| ▲ This file photo shows a movie theater in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This file photo shows a concert staff holding instruction sign, promoting distant seating, at "BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - Seoul" in Sports Complex Center on the 13th. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by BigHit Music, shows a stage performance of "BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - Seoul" (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Apr. 15 (Yonhap) -- The culture sector came to open its breath for the first time in two years with social distancing wholly lifted after the prolonged COVID-19.
Movie theaters in crisis were relieved at the lifting, prior to the release of the first quarter of 2022's most promising work, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."
From the 18th, distant seating or reduction of operating hours will be lifted immediately, but food intake, which has been steadily demanded by movie theaters, will be applied from the 25th after a week of preparation period.
A staff from a multiplex said, "It is unfortunate that food intake inside the theater was not admitted immediately", adding, "We will pay careful attention to sanitation and safety for a week so that visitors can enjoy watching movies with delicious popcorn soon."
Another staff from different multiplex said, "It is a pleasant news for theaters that struggled all the while", expecting, "Promising Korean movies that postpone the release will also be able to set their release date, if conditions in theaters get better and the number of visitors increase accordingly."
For the last two years, both the number of visitors and the sales of theaters decreased 30% compared to 2019.
In 2019, five movies have surpassed 10 million viewers, but only "Spider-Man: No Way Home," a MARVEL hero movie, exceeded 5 million after the start of COVID-19.
A MARVEL hero genre "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," which will be released on May 4th, is expected to signal the revival of movie theaters.
Music industries, which were not able to hold big stage performances during the COVID-19, are also pleasant at the news.
In case of performances more than 300 people need admission of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. However, indoor performances can only be performed within 50% of the number of seats and within 4,000 people.
Because of the restriction, the biggest performance to be held after the pandemic was BTS's concert held at Seoul Sports Complex last month, and even this was only 15,000 people per show.
Singer Jessi said during the recent press conference about her new song, "I'm going crazy, wanting to have a concert", adding, "My body is itching everyday because I was not able to hold a concert at all due to the COVID-19."
An official of music industry said, "There is no official document sent to companies, so we need to keep watching on how things go on," expecting, "Until now, standing concert was impossible, but if social distancing is lifted completely, then the quality of performance will be totally different."
Koh Gi-ho, the president of Music Concert Industry Association of Korea, said, "Most performances are prepared at least before a few months because of location renting issue, but it is a pleasing news for music industry that the number of available seats are increasing along with the lifting of social distancing."
However, president Koh said that "Since COVID-19, the polarization of wealth has become serious in performance industry," adding, "We hope the environment where people enjoy music as previous can be created, although some quarantine measures still remain."
Performances like plays and musicals which have done distant seating are also preparing to meet more viewers, opening the whole seat in reservation system.
The National Theater of Korea have done distant seating with one space for every four seats, but will operate the whole seats without distant seating after performances in June, which ticket sales will be started from the upcoming 19th.
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts decided to sell the whole tickets for the seats in performances held after the 18th. The musical "Violin on the Roof," which has already started selling tickets, will also be performed without distant seating.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Kim Jimin.)
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