South Korean Supreme Court mandates cinema accessibility for disabled viewers

The Supreme Court of Korea has ruled that movie theaters must provide audio descriptions, subtitles, and assistive devices to ensure people with visual and hearing impairments can watch films without discrimination. This decision comes over 10 years after four plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against major cinema chains, including CJ CGV, Lotte Cultureworks, and Megabox, in 2016.

The Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had limited the scope of accessibility requirements based on theater size and screening frequency. The justices stated that the previous decision placed excessive weight on the financial burden of the cinema operators rather than prioritizing the cultural rights of people with disabilities. The case has been remanded to the Seoul High Court to determine specific standards for screening frequency and theater scope that balance accessibility with operational feasibility.

In a notable move for accessibility, the Supreme Court also provided the first-ever ‘Easy-Read’ version of its judgment, which uses simplified language and visual aids to assist those with hearing and language impairments, alongside sign language interpretation.