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Korean movie fans watch more films through illegal downloads than in the theaters. In a month, they watch an average of 1.99 films in theaters but 3.08 on their PCs. Counter-intuitively, people in their 30s to 40s enjoyed more illegal downloads than those in their 20s. The figures come from a Chosun Ilbo online survey of 10,000 people -- 2,000 in each age group -- from their teens to their 50s through ticketing site maxmovie.com.
Teenagers watched the most downloaded films with an average of 4.34 per month, followed by those in their 30s (3.69), 40s (2.74), 20s (2.65), and 50s (2.06). Theaters, on the other hand, were visited the most by 20-somethings (2.26), followed by those in their 30s (2.11), teens (2.06), those in their 40s (1.76), and 50s (1.69).
Less than half or 47 percent of respondents thought online downloads were illegal, down from 56 percent in a poll by the Korea Film Council last year, suggesting that awareness of copyright has dwindled in Korea. But asked about their reaction if someone else illegally downloaded content they have created, 25 percent said they would take legal action, 19 percent would seek private settlement, and 41 percent didn¡¯t know what they would do.
So why do people download movies? An overwhelming 61.9 percent said because they can watch them whenever they want, and only 19.2 percent because it was cheap or free, followed by ¡°I can watch alone¡± with 11.9 percent, and ¡°I can keep it forever¡± with 7 percent. When movie fans were asked what they would do if they had to pay for downloads, 38.7 percent said they would accept it, while 27.2 percent said they would try to find different free sites, with 13 percent opting for DVD or VHS, and only 11.9 percent prepared to switch to cinemas. A hardline 9.2 percent said they would stop watching movies. Asked how much they are prepared to pay, the biggest group or 45.5 percent said W500-1,000 (US$1=W941), followed by less than W500 (37.4 percent), and W1,000 ? 5,000 (12.1 percent).
When asked who is most responsible for illegal downloads, more than half (55.3 percent) said it was no one¡¯s fault but a natural result of technology development. About equal numbers of respondents blamed laid-back management of Internet businesses (15.5 percent) and the people who download movies (15.1 percent). Others pointed to lack of action from filmmakers to protect their copyright (7.7 percent) and slack government control and regulations (6.4 percent). To end illegal downloads, 42.7 percent of respondents called for a change of awareness, suggesting it is the users who hold the key. Some 21.7 percent said the operators of illegal download sites need to change their mindset, 12.4 percent called for campaigns in theaters, 11.7 percent urged filmmakers to assert their copyright, and 11.6 percent called for government control and regulation.
Despite the diversity of available entertainment, watching movies was still a popular pastime. Forty-five percent of viewers said they visited theaters more often last year than the year before, with 38 percent saying ¡°about the same¡±, far outnumbering those who went less (17 percent). When asked about their preferred way to watch movies, 61.1 percent said theater, 14.5 percent said cable TV, 13.1 percent online download, 9.6 percent VHS or DVD, and a poor 1.8 percent terrestrial TV.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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