[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] Police have launched a forced investigation into film related companies suspected of manipulating box office rankings. Three multiplexes, including CJ CGV· Lotte Cinema and Megabox, and three distributors, including Lotte Entertainment, Showbox and Kidari Studio, are subject to investigation.

The Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on the 13th that it is confiscating and searching the headquarters of each of the three multiplex companies and three distributors on charges of obstruction of business.

They are accused of interfering with the work of the Korean Film Council by manipulating the box office rankings by inflating the number of audiences together with movie theaters and distributors.

The "emergency declaration (showbox distribution)," one of the movies suspected of manipulating box office rankings, was sold out early in the morning on the Korean Film Commission's integrated computer network in August last year.

Suspicions were raised during last year's parliamentary audit that distributors and others might have tried to artificially increase the booking rate.

The movie "Rain and Your Story," which saw its box office ranking jump sharply from 24th to 4th in May 2021, is also suspected of increasing the number of viewers by expediency.

At that time, the distributor was Kidari ENT (now merged with Kidari Studios), which is suspected of increasing the number of audiences by being sold out in the early morning hours when it was not screened in theaters and the actual audience was not recruited.

Police have also detected several other movies suspected of manipulating rankings and are investigating them.

 

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