영화관
yeonghwagwan[jʌ̹ŋβwa̠ɡwa̠n]
The Korean phrase for "movie theater" is 영화관 (yeonghwagwan).
영화관 refers to a building or a place where people go to watch films on a large screen. You can also use the word 영화 to mean "movie".
What does it mean word for word?
The word 영화관 is composed of 영화, meaning "movie" and 관, meaning "building" or "hall".
Which one should you use?
While 영화관 refers to the physical building or establishment, 극장 is a slightly more old-fashioned or general term for a theater that can include cinema or stage plays.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are going to the movie theater, you use the form 영화관에 가다.
How do you pronounce it?
yeonghwagwan
Did you know?
- The 'hwa' in 영화관 uses the character 畵, which means 'painting' or 'drawing'. This suggests that a movie is seen as a 'moving painting'.
- When talking about the act of going to the movies, Koreans often use the verb 'to see' (보다) rather than 'to go' to describe the experience.
- In Korea, the word 관 in 영화관 is also used to number screens within a single cinema, so you will see signs like 1관 or 2관 to tell you which room your movie is in.
Examples in context
- 저는 영화관에 가고 싶어요.I want to go to the movie theater.
- 영화관에서 영화를 볼 수 있을까요?Can I watch a movie at the movie theater?
- 영화관에 같이 갈래?Do you want to go to the movie theater together?
- 저 영화관에서 일하고 있어.I'm working at the movie theater.
- 영화관이 어디에 있어요?yeonghwagwani eodie isseoyo?Where is the movie theater?
- 근처에 큰 영화관이 있어요.geuncheoe keun yeonghwagwani isseoyo.There is a large movie theater nearby.
- 영화관 앞에서 만나요.yeonghwagwan apeseo mannayo.Let's meet in front of the movie theater.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding where to go for a date.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 영화관에 갈까요?Hyeonu ssi, yeonghwagwan-e galkkayo?Hyeonu, shall we go to the movie theater?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 좋아요. 무슨 영화 봐요?ne, joayo. museun yeonghwa bwayo?Yes, that sounds good. What movie are we watching?
- 지은 Ji-eun새로 개봉한 영화를 봐요.saero gaebonghan yeonghwareul bwayo.Let's watch the newly released movie.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그럼 제가 표를 살게요.geureom jega pyoreul salgeyo.Then I will buy the tickets.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 영화관, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 영화관, CC BY-SA 4.0.
