Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mithridates]

I live in Sanbon where we have two theatres, one right next to the station (Cinema 7) that's new and not bad, and one a bit farther away (Cinema Sanbon) which isn't so good. We just saw Passion of the Christ there (wasn't at the first one).
As the movie ended the credits started to roll, and before a minute had passed the old man above had cut the film and everything stopped. I hate when people do that with good movies so I opened up the door to the room in the back and told him to put it back on; he said that it was originally edited that way and there was nothing he could do about it (which was a lie). So we leave, and gf goes off to the bathroom. A few seconds after she goes in the old man comes out and shouts "Anybody in there?" "Yeah!" yells an ajumma. "Well get out then, quick!"
Ajumma comes out, man turns off the lights. I tell him that somebody's still in there and he turns them back on saying sorry. After thet we get on the elevator, and as we get in all the lights are turned off in the theatre and everything's closed all ready.
In short, a curse on Cinema Sanbon.
A friend of mine and I used to curse stores we didn't like when we were younger and sometimes they would go out of business.

I assume there are a lot of similar stories out there.

One time when I wrote an article for a newspaper that had a bit about Koreans not waiting to see the final credits like a lot of other people do, I asked the editor if it seemed to critical of them, and she said no, they've never really given it much thought and that an article that brings up the subject would actually be good.

[Gord]

[mithridates]

Sorry, forgot to mention that I saw him do it through the window. That cinema has a pretty small projector.

[Universalis]

The worse theater I've had the misfortune of attending is the one one top of the old Grand Mart in SHinchon (it has a new name now).

Tiny seats with no leg room. = terrible movie-going experience. I saw Starship Troopers there and had to sit the whole time with knees pulled up almost to my chair. Early in the film, the guy behind me taps me on the shoulder and asks me to scoot down. I'm like, "dude, I'm sorry. But there is nowhere for me to go."

I ended up going there one more time and snagged an aisle seat, allowing to stretch my legs out into the aisle.

The quality of movie theaters has improved drastically since I came to Korea in '97. One of my favorite improvments in Korea, I think.

Brian

[mithridates]

Ah yes, I suppose we should talk about good movie theatres too. The one in Anyang is quite good. The one in Shinchon you're talking about is quite a mess - I had the same experience, and it seems to have been specially built to keep everybody's head in front of everybody else's view.

[Joe Thanks]

Joe ususally pisses in the doorways or stairwells of bad businesses: after hours, of course.


Anyway,

Th best theater in Korea imo is a bit dated and could have changed, but during my first sojourn in Korea, the Coex mall had opened. Joe spent many a morning and afternoon sitting in the Coex mall multiplex catching movies.

It was convenient, comfortable, had a decent selection of new films and the service was good. During his final months in Seoul, Joe worked a lucretive, early morning gig for Amkor Technologies, teaching human resources personel English. He taught an hour a day and was making way more than any hagwon. Alas, Joe wanted to split and planned ahead. So, for two gloriou month Joe would go in and teach early, hit the Coex, catch a flick or two, hit the DVD shop, then head home and sleep, waking up at midnight and starting his day. During his last week in Korea he spent entire days at the Coex multiplex. He got to know workers by name and went dancing with one of the concession stand cuties.

In an eerie way, the COEX mall was like DAWN OF THE DEAD for Joe. He'd watch movies, eat breakfast and then lunch and sometimes dinner at the restaurants (sometimes all three in a day), buy books, movies, gifts, etc., occasionally hit the pharmacy for Lemonia, grab an ice cream or cocoa or a doughnut.



The zombies there didn't bite, but on occaison the older and more rotting of the bunch would stare at him because he wasn't one of the undead.


Sigh.

The good old days.


Joe
has reminissed

Sigh... .The good old days.

[ryleeys]

Saw a movie at a theatre in Icheon on Sunday.

1) The theatres and screens are way too small. It's more like watching on a large tv than a movie screen.

2) The sound was horrible. The movie was a comedy and all talking, no special effects. But even the talking sounded horrible.

3) Assigned seats. The theatre is only half full and everyone is sitting in the worst seats? I wanna sit in the front row damnit if the screen is that small...

4) Almost no incline, therefore I have to sit straight up to see over the hair of the ajumma in front of me, thereby pissing off the guy behind me.

5) I did have enough leg room I suppose, but I'm a modest 5'10", so legroom is rarely a problem for me.

[simulated stereo]

If you want the worst, come to Kyongju. I think the designs were based on Plato's cave.

[peppergirl]

[Toby]

Chuncheon.

Concrete floors. Plastic fold down chairs. No allocated seating. People coming in before the end of the film in order to get their seats for the next performance. It sucked.