From left, Kim Byung-in, chair of the Korea Scenario Writers Association; Kim Seung-beom, CEO of Niners Entertainment; Park Kwan-su, vice head of the Korean Film Producers Association; Professor Park Kyung-shin; director Yang Woo-seok; Lee Eun, president of the Korean Film Production Association; and animation producer Hwang Kyung-seon speak at a policy proposal press conference titled ‘Crisis and Countermeasures for Korea's Film Industry in 2026’ held at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 9th. Yonhap News.
With Korea's film industry experiencing a severe slump, working filmmakers have formed a large-scale alliance to urge the government and the National Assembly to adopt practical structural reform measures.
The Coalition of Film Organizations, comprising 13 groups including the Korean Film Producers Association, held a press conference titled ‘Crisis and Countermeasures for Korea's Film Industry in 2026’ at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 9th. The statement announced that day was endorsed by 581 filmmakers, including directors Bong Joon-ho, Im Kwon-taek, and Chung Ji-young, and actors Park Joong-hoon, Lee Jung-hyun, and Yoo Ji-tae.
The coalition pointed out that last year domestic theater attendance was about 106 million, only 47% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level of 226 million. Compared with the United States, France, and Japan, which have recovered to over 70%, this is a severe underperformance. In addition to the onslaught from OTT services such as Netflix, they identified the vertical integration of production, distribution, and exhibition by large conglomerates, and the screen monopolization practices of the three major theater chains (CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox), as fundamental causes of the crisis.
The filmmakers proposed three core remedies.
First, withdrawal of the ‘six-month holdback bill’ pending in the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The amendment would block distribution to other platforms for up to six months after the end of a theatrical run. Korea University professor Park Kyung-shin criticized it as “not a normal holdback but a ‘blackout’ bill that prevents consumers from watching.” The reasoning is that if distribution is blocked while no exhibition period is guaranteed, recoupment of investment becomes impossible.
Second, introduction of a ‘screen concentration restriction system.’ To prevent so-called ‘screen hoarding,’ in which a particular hit monopolizes auditoriums, they propose setting an upper limit on a single film's seat share. The coalition stressed that only if such a system allows a wider variety of films to stay longer in theaters will meaningful investment recoupment and improved theater revenues be possible.
Third, creation of large-scale funds and tax benefits to revitalize production. They argue that the government should take the lead in creating at least two funds of 100 billion won each and provide tax relief to attract individual and corporate investors (LPs). Yang Woo-seok, director of the film ‘The Attorney,’ added, “The investment environment is shifting from the market to communities,” and emphasized the need to build an investment environment that consumers and companies can participate in.
Lee Eun, president of the Korean Film Production Association, said, “These measures are urgent, desperate solutions for all parts of the film industry, including theaters and distributors,” urging the industry and the government to sit down together as soon as possible to discuss remedies.
