So similar, so different

So yesterday I went to my first movie since being in Korea. It was a Western film, Body of Lies. Generally a good movie. We were originally going to try and take it in at the CGV Imax at Yongsan station, but time constraints, the movie being sold out, and not showing on an Imax screen kind of cancelled that. Consequently, we simply bought tickets for a 9pm show in Ansan.

The theatre itself was pretty much identical to one in Canada. The lobby was carpeted, the colours of everything were dark save for highlights given by bright signs and advertisements. Ordering the tickets wasn't an issue, since the titles of English movies simply get Konglishised. All you need to do is add a few extra vowels strategically and many things can be ordered without confusion.

Watching the movie went by without incidence, but I couldn't help feel that things were a little off. Before the movie we bought snacks, but the selection was limited. Fountain pop was available in ridiculous sizes for surprisingly fair prices. No $5 drinks live there! Popcorn was also on sale as well as bags of dried squid bits. That was it for snacks. I actually felt cheated. I wanted something gummy or sweet. Something nostalgic, to remind me that I was at a movie. Normally, I don't think I would have yearned for that kind of comfort, but the decor of the lobby was identical in every way to a multi-plex back home.

Getting into the theatre, the hallway, stairs, and seats, basically identical. The first difference inside was that we had specific seats assigned to us. We had selected the seats when buying the tickets, which seemed strange at the time. Looking back, I wish we had a similar system back home. The second difference was a large block of empty space in front of the screen. Whereas back home we'd have rows of seating in this space, it seemed like this section, the space reserved for the late ticket buyer back home, was left devoid of seats. Now, I don't know if this is the case in each theatre, but it still seemed very strange.

The movie played, the Korean subtitles emitted a yellow glow, and the film played as any film should. Yet after it was over I couldn't help but feel strange...almost cheated; so similar but so different.