CGV is screening every game of the KBO postseason live in its theaters this year, running from the wildcard decider through the Korean Series, and the chain is using a three-sided format and divided seating to turn auditoriums into cheering sections. 지디넷코리아 reported on the setup after attending a broadcast of Game 3 of the KIA Tigers–LG Twins semi-playoff at CGV Guro on 20 October.
The match carried high stakes for both clubs. KIA had already taken two wins in the best-of-five series, putting it one victory from a place in the playoff round, while LG needed a win to keep its autumn run alive, according to the report.
Why it matters
The screenings test whether cinemas can hold a live sports audience, not just a film audience. Baseball fans who cannot get to a stadium are being offered a controlled indoor space, a large picture and a crowd to cheer with — and CGV is building food, merchandise and seating rules around that behavior. The chain has now carried KBO postseason games for four straight years, beginning with the 2023 Korean Series, and this season it holds exclusive theater rights to the full bracket in SCREENX.
Three screens and a cheering podium
The game was shown through SCREENX LIVE, which sends the live feed to the central screen and to both side walls of the auditorium. The front screen carried the play on the field; a glance to either side brought up the cheerleading stage, so spectators could follow the game and time their chanting to the routines of the cheer captain and dancers, 지디넷코리아 reported.
One attendee who had watched a Korean Series game in a cinema two years earlier told the outlet that the older single-screen presentation felt like watching a very large television. With images on three walls and the cheering section in view this time, the person said, the room felt close to being at the ballpark.
The familiar stadium anthems played inside the theater. Spectators in team jerseys waved cheering props and sang along, and the lobby drew fans in uniforms well before the first pitch, some waiting with friends and others buying popcorn and cola before heading in.
Separate blocks for home and away fans
CGV changed how seats are sold for some of its postseason screenings, splitting the left and right sides of the auditorium into blocks for the home team and the visiting team. A spectator who came with friends said that in past screenings, with no such division, sitting beside a rival fan made cheering slightly awkward, and that same-team supporters had been scattered around the room. With the zones in place, the person said, cheering felt easier and more enjoyable.
A CGV representative told 지디넷코리아 that the blocks were created so supporters of the same club could sit together and cheer more comfortably, and that the arrangement was meant to reassure fans who were unsure whether cheering is allowed in a cinema at all.
Comfort came up repeatedly among attendees. The auditoriums are temperature- and humidity-controlled, and the spacing between rows lets people sit back through a long game. The same spectator who had attended the 2023 Korean Series screening said that while being at the stadium is best, watching with friends in a comfortable room and cheering freely is a good alternative when a trip to the park is not possible.
Snacks were part of the experience. Viewers ate popcorn and drank cola bought at the concession counter, and some left the auditorium mid-game to buy more before returning to their seats.
CGV has also put together baseball-themed food and drink sets, along with merchandise made in cooperation with the KBO, including can coolers and popcorn buckets. The company representative said it was preparing a range of items for baseball audiences and that the sets and goods were drawing a favorable response.
The chain's arrangement covers the wildcard stage, the semi-playoff, the playoff and the Korean Series, all shown live in SCREENX and only in CGV theaters.
What to watch: whether the split-seat model and the three-screen presentation hold their appeal as the postseason moves toward the Korean Series, and whether other cinema operators follow with their own live sports programming.
