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Private company

CJ CGV

Logo: CJ Group, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

South Korean movie theater chain

CJ CGV is the largest multiplex cinema chain in South Korea and also has branches in China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Turkey, Vietnam, and the United States. The fifth largest multiplex theater company in the world, CJ CGV currently operates 3,412 screens at 455 locations in seven countries, including 1,111 screens at 149 locations in South Korea as of 2017. CGV takes its name from the first letters of the joint venture partners at the time of launching; CJ, Golden Harvest (Orange Sky Golden Harvest), and Village Roadshow.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Dec 20, 1996Founded1
  • Industryfilm industry1
  • HeadquartersSeoul1
  • Websitecorp.cgv.co.kr
  • Legal formjoint-stock company1

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CGV Cheongdam Cine City 2012
Photo: Michaela den, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

CJ CGV (Korean: 씨제이 씨지브이; d/b/a CGV Cinemas) is the largest multiplex cinema chain in South Korea and also has branches in China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Turkey, Vietnam, and the United States. The fifth largest multiplex theater company in the world, CJ CGV currently operates 3,412 screens at 455 locations in seven countries, including 1,111 screens at 149 locations in South Korea as of 2017. CGV takes its name from the first letters of the joint venture partners at the time of launching; CJ, Golden Harvest (Orange Sky Golden Harvest), and Village Roadshow.2

Corporate structure

CJ CGV sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • CJ CGV Seoul
    • CGV Cinemas Subsidiary

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What CJ CGV reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

  • CGV Cinemas

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

History

CGV started as Theater Business Team inside CJ CheilJedang in 1995. CJ Golden Village was jointly established in 1996 by CJ Cheil Jedang of South Korea, Orange Sky Golden Harvest of Hong Kong and Village Roadshow of Australia. However, now it is operated by CJ only as Golden Harvest and Village Roadshow have pulled out of the group. CGV opened the first multiplex in Gangbyeon in 1998. It merged CJ Golden Village and renamed the company to CJ CGV. In December 2004, it became the first theater chain listed on the Korea Stock Exchange.

CGV exceeded an aggregated total of 100 million viewers in 2004. It opened its first digital movies in 2006, SMART PLEX in 2008, 4D PLEX in 2009 and Cine City in 2011. In 2006, it opened eight sites in China and one in Los Angeles, and took over major cinema chain in Vietnam. 2013, CGV had 101 million visitors within one year. It is the fifth cinema company achieving this mark, joining Regal, AMC, Cinemark and Cinepolis. 2017 saw the second U.S. location open, in Buena Park, in Orange County.

As of 2019, CGV held a market share of 49.5%, significantly surpassing Lotte Cinema's 29.1% and Megabox's 18.6%.

Timeline

1995: Theater Business Team formed inside the Cheil Jedang

1996: Jointly established by CJ Cheil Jedang (South Korea), Golden Harvest (Hong Kong) and Village Roadshow (Australia)

April 1998: Opened the first multiplex cinema in Gangbyeon

December 1999: Opened second multiplex cinema in Incheon

July 2000: Opened South Korea's first premium cinema, Gold Class

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October 2001: Exceeded an aggregated total of 100 million viewers

October 2002: Renamed the company to CJ CGV

February 2003: Exceeded an aggregated total of 100 screens

February 2004: Showed South Korea's first digital movie

October 2004: Opened the first multiplex indie theater

December 2004: the first theater chain listed on Korea Stock Exchange

December 2005: Introduced South Korea's first IMAX system in Yongsan and Incheon

October 2006: first to enter Chinese theater market (1st CGV in Shanghai)

May 2007: Opened Cine de Chef, a premium theater with fine dining

October 2007: Launched CGV 'Movie Collage'

July 2008: Opened Smartplex 'edutainment' theater

October 2008: Opened Starium in Incheon

January 2009: Showed South Korea's first 4D movie

August 2009: Opened Starium with Asia's largest screen

April 2010: Exceeded an aggregated total of 200 3D screens

July 2010: Opened the first CGV in U.S., in Los Angeles

June 2010: Opened the Pyeong-chon CGV in Anyang, Gyeonggi

November 2010: Launched new CGV BI

April 2011: Started movie down loading service

July 2011: Took over multiplex cinema, 'MegaStar Cineplex', in Vietnam

November 2011: Opened Cine City in Cheongdam

April 2013: CGV Junggye opened in Junggye-dong, Nowon-gu

May 2013: Opened in Samsan CGV in Ulsan

May 2013: scheduled to open in Beomgye on May 16.

January 2014: Acquired 14% ownership/stake of Indonesia's BlitzMegaplex through Blitz's IPO, which causes controversy due to regulations. Despite controversy, which since cooled down, the BlitzMegaplex cinema will be renamed as "CGV Blitz" in 2015. At that time, "CGV Blitz" opens in Jogjakarta's Sahid JWalk and its flagship "Cultureplex" at Grand Indonesia, while the rest of its theaters currently undergo rebranding and remodeling. It also stated that its franchise brand, "Blitztheater" won't be changed due to franchise agreement with mall operators. CGV Blitz Grand Indonesia was the first to operate SphereX technology in South East Asia, following footsteps of CGV China, who first to introduce the technology, and by CGV Korea, who opened their first SphereX branch in CGV Cheonho.

April 2015: Introduced Vietnam's first IMAX system in Ho Chi Minh (CGV SC VivoCity)

April 2016: CJ CGV Co. to acquire a 38.12% interest in Mars Cinema Group, Turkey's largest cinema chain, for $688 million.

July 2016: CJ CGV increased their stake at CGV Blitz, setting aside 28.8 billion won ($25 million) to buy 50.6 million of its owner PT. Graha Layar Prima Tbk. shares by August 1, which leads to slow rebranding from CGV Blitz into CGV Cinemas.

January 2017: Opened the 2nd U.S. location in Orange County, in Buena Park.

September 2018: First Location in D2 Place in Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong SAR.

December 2021: First Location in Nova Mall in Taipa Macau SAR.

July 2026: Founded the film distribution subsidiary "CGV Pictures".

From Wikipedia’s article on CJ CGV, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Service

Culture Day

2D regular movie screenings between 17:00 and 21:00 available for 7,000 won reservation.

4DX DAY: All-day 4DX movie viewing available for 11,000 won (excluding ULTRA 4DX format).

SCREENX DAY: All-day SCREENX movie viewing available for 10,000 won.

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Discounts

Senior Citizens: Discount for individuals aged 65 or older with valid identification.

Disabled Individuals: Discount for individuals with disabilities with valid welfare cards or equivalent proof.

Military Discount: Discount for military personnel with valid identification and accompanying up to 3 individuals (total of 4 people).

Police Officer Discount: Discount for police officers with valid identification and accompanying up to 3 individuals (total of 4 people).

Facilities

CGV opened South Korea's first luxury theater, Gold Class, with sofa and service; along with Cine de Chef, the premium theater with fine dining in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul. This was followed by CGV Art Hall, a concert hall with 500 seats, in Yeongdeungpo-gu for concert, musical and broadcasting program in addition to movies.

Since 2009, with the construction of digital cinema, it started showing a variety contents such as baseball game, Japanese K-1, concert and opera shows. In 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was marketed as a location for cheering games with the most number of 2D/3D screens.

In 2011, CGV Chungdam Cine City, with luxury life culture concept, was opened. It markets CJ's own brands such as The First Look Market operated by Oshopping and Vips, Bibigo, Twosome operated by Foodville.

CGV Arthouse (formerly Movie Collage) is the first indie theater in South Korea operated by CGV for independent films (which later on became the name for a separate distribution company focused on these kinds of films).

From 2011, CGV extended their chain to Vietnam by taking over the multiplex cinema Megastar and opening more theaters like CGV Liberty Citypoint and CGV Crescent Mall. CGV opened their first luxury theater in Vietnam with sofas and went on to offer the Sweetbox (a red sofa that seats two) in multiple theaters. In 2015, CGV opened its 10th cinema complex (CGV Vivocity) and introduced the first IMAX theater in Vietnam with 311 seats, one premium studio with wide spaces and armchairs, and one studio for showing 4DX movies (augmented with environmental effects such as seat motion, wind, rain, fog, lighting, and aroma along with the standard video and audio thanks to a motion picture technology owned and developed CJ 4DPLEX). The remaining studios have Sweetbox seats as private spaces for couples.

CJ CGV is the second-largest operator of joint venture IMAX screens in China, behind Wanda Cinemas, China's largest theater chain.

From Wikipedia’s article on CJ CGV, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Owners

Also owns

  • CGV Cinemas

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. Dec 20, 1996Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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