Cheering screening as a Differentiated Cinematic Experience: Focusing on cheering screening of The First Slam Dunk

The emergence of streaming services and the COVID-19 pandemic have shifted movie culture towards collective viewing experiences. Studies by Jeong Minah (2020), Jung-In Suh (2021), and Seo-Hyun Jung and Joo-Yeun Park (2021) predict a future where movies are enjoyed interactively with multiple viewers. A notable example is &quotCheering Screening,&quot a concept introduced in 2016, allowing audiences to engage with movies by talking to characters, using cheering sticks, and singing along, all without extra cost. This concept gained popularity with The First Slam Dunk in 2023, which drew over 4.7 million viewers. The film's structure, featuring interactive segments, was key to its success. Young female audiences, in particular, embraced cheering screenings, forming groups and participating in fan activities that extended beyond the theater. These screenings turned cinemas into social hubs for art and film culture. However, challenges include the limited genres suitable for cheering screenings and a narrow audience base. With active promotion and research by theaters, distributors, and production companies, cheering screenings could offer a more participatory movie experience and help theaters differentiate themselves in the evolving film industry.