KAIST professor Lee Byung Tae slams Choi Min Shik's call for lower movie ticket prices

KAIST Professor Lee Byung Tae has harshly criticized actor Choi Min Shik for his demand to lower the increased prices of movie theater tickets.

On August 20 KST, Professor Lee shared an article titled “Actor Choi Min Shik’s Bold Statement: ‘Lower Theater Prices, Even I Won’t Go,’” on his Facebook page. He commented, “The cost of watching a movie is not the same as theater pricing. Do you think the actual cost of a movie ticket is 15,000 won?”

He continued, “Movie theaters are private businesses, not power entities. What kind of ‘bold’ statement is it to demand a price reduction? Is this a statement that requires courage? If he had called for a reduction in the minimum wage because movie tickets have risen too high, I would acknowledge that as a bold statement.”

Lee further questioned, “If lowering prices would attract more customers and increase profits, businesses would lower prices even if you didn’t ask them to. During the pandemic, movie theaters were on the brink of bankruptcy. Did Choi Min Shik donate his appearance fees to help the theaters that screened his movies? Does he think the movie theater business is a charity or something funded by digging up land?”

Professor Lee also remarked, “Movie theaters don’t make money from ticket sales alone. They attract customers with cheap tickets and make their money selling popcorn and soda. Movie tickets are a loss leader.”

His criticism didn’t stop there. He added, “If you can run a business for less than 15,000 won per ticket, including the quasi-taxation known as the Film Development Fund, then why not start your own theater and sell tickets cheaply instead of demanding this from theaters owned by companies with shareholders?”

He concluded, “Calling anything a ‘bold statement’ is absurd. It’s just ignorant talk. The cheapest claim in the world is the one that promises generosity with someone else’s money.”

Choi Min Shik had appeared on the MBC current affairs program Questions by Shon Suk Hee on August 17 KST, where he said, “Movie ticket prices have risen significantly. Please lower them a bit. A single movie ticket costs 15,000 won. Why would people bother going to a theater when they can comfortably watch OTT at home? Even I wouldn’t go.”

He added, “If you suddenly hike prices like that, even I wouldn’t go. I understand that theaters almost went bankrupt due to COVID-19, but the prices are indeed burdensome.”