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Private company

Lotte Cinema

South Korean movie theater division under Lotte Cultureworks

Lotte Cinema (Korean: 롯데시네마) started as the Cinema Business Division under Lotte Shopping in 1999 with the concept of focusing on launching a new entertainment era. As part of the rapid growth of the Korean film industry in the early 2000s, Lotte Cinema expanded its market share and is now the second largest multiplex chain in Korea. Lotte Cinema currently operates 143 sites with 842 screens nationwide in South Korea as a division of entertainment business of the Lotte Group under the name Lotte Cultureworks along with Lotte Entertainment.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1999Founded1

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롯데시네마 강동 02
Photo: Pectus Solentis at Korean Wikipedia (前 ko:User:바리반디 ), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

Lotte Cinema (Korean: 롯데시네마) started as the Cinema Business Division under Lotte Shopping in 1999 with the concept of focusing on launching a new entertainment era. As part of the rapid growth of the Korean film industry in the early 2000s, Lotte Cinema expanded its market share and is now the second largest multiplex chain in Korea.2

The story

Lotte Cinema started as the Cinema Business Division under Lotte Shopping in 1999. By September 2003, Lotte Shopping's Cinema Business Division had been involved in the planning and production of movie imports, distribution, investment projects and performances under the name of Lotte Entertainment.

In 2018, Lotte Corporation rearranged their Cinema Business Division by moving Lotte Cinema under Lotte Cultureworks along with Lotte Entertainment.

On May 8, 2025, Megabox parent company JoongAng Group announced to merge the cinema chain alongside Lotte Cinema, forming as joint venture in hope to increase the competitiveness with CJ CGV.

From Wikipedia’s article on Lotte Cinema, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

Lotte Cinema opened its first overseas multiplex in Vietnam in 2008. The company now operates 46 theaters in Vietnam with 219 screens.

In 2010, Lotte Cinema China opened in Shenyang and grew operations to 9 theaters spanning 67 screens. However, the company exited China's market in 2022 due to business structure complexities.

In total, Lotte Cinema manages 198 sites with 1,128 screens worldwide.

From Wikipedia’s article on Lotte Cinema, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1999Founded Founded1

Sources

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