Seoul’s Silver Theater tailors films and policies to seniors
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — While some American theaters have recently targeted a more mature audience by providing cocktail service and other physical amenities, Seoul’s Silver Theater (formerly the Hollywood) attracts the fifty-plus crowd by its mix of films (it tends to favor classics) and by its “relaxed” admission policy (patrons can attend all scheduled showings during a day for a single admission). A corporation provides a subsidy to keep the theater going.
While the theater attracts pockets of the younger crowd, it is clearly not for everyone. The screenings are often delayed and many of the people from the senior set chat freely or walk in and out of the theater even after a screening has started.
According to Kim, senior citizens often have difficulty staying focused for an entire film and may go outside for breaks. That’s why the Silver Theater offers three consecutive screenings from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., she says, and people are free to sit through all three screenings.
Read more in the Joogang Daily.