Seoul and Los Angeles—Oct 23, 2015
4DX Strengthens its Grip in Chinese Market, Launching the First Theater with Emperor Cinema in China
Expansion with AEON Cinemas Continues in Japan, The Fastest Growing Country for 4DX
CJ 4DPLEX, an immersive theater technology featuring moving seats and environmental effects, has strengthened its standing in the Chinese market through a new partnership with Emperor Cinema, the high-end multiplex operator in China. Additionally, CJ 4DPLEX continued its Asian expansion this week with an opening ceremony for the first screen in Shijonawate, Osaka. This is the result of a partnership with AEON Cinemas, Japan’s largest cinema chain, operating 83 theaters, 702 screens and 134,006 seats.
The first 4DX location with Emperor Cinema, the premium theater equipped with advanced multiplex facilities including the state of the art production systems, is in Wanxiangcheng (MIXC) shopping mall, located in the newly developed area of Hefei. The first ticket sales have begun for the new 4DX location, which is expected to hold a grand opening ceremony in December.
With this opening, 4DX will contribute to Emperor Cinema holding its place as a premier multiplex exhibitor delivering an immersive cinematographic experience to the moviegoers. This new deal with Emperor Cinema further establishes China as the largest market for CJ 4DPLEX where there is a total of 40 4DX screens operating across the country.
In Japan, since opening its first 4DX auditorium in 2013, CJ 4DPLEX has been rapidly increasing the number of 4DX screens in the county and that trajectory is not slowing down, with 11 sites opening in 2015 alone and 19 currently operating throughout the nation. AEON Cinemas Shijonawate invited major media outlets such as NHK, Mainichi and Asahi and held a showcase event, screening 4DX trailers at the opening ceremony on October 20. The event was successful, drawing great attention from guests.
“We are excited to announce the start of our business with both of these significant partners. Emperor Cinema, premium multiplex operator in China and AEON Cinemas, the largest theater operator in Japan. We will concentrate on expanding our 4DX locations in both China and Japan and look forward to broadening our business beyond Asia by forging a solid partnership with global exhibitors.” said Byung Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX.
As of October 2015, 4DX tallies 206 auditoriums with over 28,000 seats in 36 countries. 4DX plans to open 53 total sites in China and 33 sites in Japan by end of this year, strengthening its grip in the Asian market. Worldwide, CJ 4DPLEX aims to open 300 4DX theaters by the first half of 2016 and expand to 800 4DX theaters by the end of 2017.
