"K-Theater technologies such as SCREENX, which maximizes visual immersion, and 4DX, which optimizes the experiential effect, are captivating not only North America but people around the world."
In a recent meeting with the Seoul Economic Daily, Oh Yoon-dong, Executive of CJ 4DPLEX, emphasized, "With our world's number one 'ultra-gap' screening technology, we are simultaneously enhancing the value customers feel and the value of content," adding, "4DPLEX's global growth trajectory is steep." 4DPLEX is a company that develops technology for special-format theater versions of films. 4DX is an experiential 4D movie format that introduces motion chairs and special environmental equipment, with seats moving according to scenes and effects such as wind, scent, water, and lighting. SCREENX is the world's first multi-sided special theater that extends beyond the center screen to the left and right walls.
Executive Oh noted that growth of special-format theaters in the largest market, North America, has been particularly steep. The North American region maintained high growth of over 25% last year, following 2024. What stands out is the high profitability. According to the company, 4DX has surpassed IMAX's Per Screen Average (PSA), exceeding $1.2 million per screen.
This year as well, various films will be showcased in special theaters such as 4DX and SCREENX. Science fiction films set against the vast universe, such as "Project Hail Mary," and horror films such as "Salmokji" are already gaining popularity, with increasing numbers of people repeatedly watching them in special theaters. Oh explained, "We are preparing a variety of lineups that deliver immersion and thrills through overwhelming sound, including 'Super Mario Galaxy,' which has expanded from games into various IPs such as films and theme parks and is loved across all generations, and 'Michael,' which spotlights the life and music of Michael Jackson." Indeed, audiences will be able to experience "Minions & Monsters" and director Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" in special theaters.
In fact, the market share of the 4DX and SCREENX versions of the global hit "Avatar: Fire and Ash" rose from 4.4% for the previous film to 5.8%. "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" has been receiving strong response in regions with powerful Japanese animation fandoms such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and France. 4DX's market share in these regions reached 6% in Taiwan, 9% in Hong Kong, and 8% in France respectively. In some Eastern European countries such as Romania and Bulgaria, 4DX's market share exceeded 20%. Performances of blockbusters such as "Jurassic World," "Zootopia 2," and "Minecraft" are also remarkable. Last year, the market share of 4DX and SCREENX grew 32% year-on-year, significantly exceeding the global box office growth rate (11%).
Although the company is now showcasing top-tier special-format theaters in the global market, Oh said that in the early stages of overseas expansion, it had struggled to persuade production companies in the process of converting films to 4DX and SCREENX. But the status has now changed. "Recently, not only domestic films, but also films from Hollywood, Japan, other parts of Asia, and Europe are proactively proposing 4DX and SCREENX adaptations," Oh said. He added, "When '4DX Twisters' was released in North America in 2024, it gained great popularity, and 'Good Morning America,' a representative American morning show program, covered the enthusiasm for 4DX in depth."
It is evaluated that CJ 4DPLEX's unrivaled technological prowess has been key to enabling 4DX, which satisfies audiences' five senses, and SCREENX, which delivers extreme visual immersion, to penetrate the global market. "In the case of 4DX, it takes about two weeks per film to analyze the movie based on understanding the driving methods and derived emotions of the effects we possess, and to plan and complete the directing concept," Oh explained. He continued, "For SCREENX, we set the directing direction through close prior collaboration with the production team that made the main film, and through our internalized technology, we can produce side footage for one film over about a month."
