Take a look at what might be becoming "the new norm" for movie theaters over in South Korea.
Wonder how long it'll be before we see some of this in the U.S.?
(of course, we've got to get our movie theaters opened-up first, though)
CGV, owned by South Korean conglomerate CJ, is running a trial of a contact-free theater at a branch in Seoul's Yeouido business district and it offers a glimpse of what the moviegoing future may look like.
The system, which has been in operation since April 20, eliminates virtually all face-to-face interactions between customers and staff. Patrons buy tickets at touchscreen kiosks or via a smartphone app and then scan them at QR code readers installed at the entrance to each theater.
A five-foot-tall, AI-powered "Checkbot" robot with a large front-mounted screen wheels around the cinema, scanning tickets, answering questions using voice recognition technology and leading customers to the restroom or their theater.
The "Popcorn Factory" self-service area features vending machines that provide popcorn, hot dogs and sodas. Other snacks such as nachos, grilled squid and beer can be ordered by app or kiosk. They are then placed by a staff member in a numbered pickup box that the customer opens with a special code. The theater even authenticates parking automatically.
While I definitely see positives from a social distancing perspective, robots taking the place of humans mean jobs lost.
And all those germy touch-screens?? Not a fan.
And what's that above about "grilled squid"? Who in the world would want to sit next to the guy eating grilled squid during a movie? YEEEECH
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt