Last Day of Sokcho (속초) Chuseok Outdoor Movies: When 'M

Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). As of 10 AM on Saturday, September 26, the third day of the Chuseok holiday, Sokcho (속초) is clear at 22°C, with calm seas and waves of 0.5 m. The rain that fell on the Yeongdong (영동) region until early morning has stopped, and the sky is gradually clearing. The chance of rain is listed as high at 98%, but this figure includes the early-morning rain. Forecast precipitation from late morning onward is around 0.1 mm.

Among today's Sokcho news, there is one event that applies to today only. The 'Sunset Cinema Chuseok Special Film Screenings', held by Sokcho City for three days over the Chuseok holiday at Sokcho Port Waterfront Park (속초항 친수공원), ends with today's 4 PM screening. Today's film is 'Mamma Mia!' (2008), a musical filled with the songs of ABBA. For those who don't have plans for this afternoon yet, we've put together the schedule and what to bring.

Today at 4 PM at Sokcho Port Waterfront Park: The Third and Final Screening

These special screenings were held daily at 4 PM from September 24 through today, the 26th, at the performance venue inside Sokcho Port Waterfront Park in Geumho-dong (금호동). The theme was 'family,' and a different film was shown each day.

24th (Thu): Director Lee Myung-se's 'My Love, My Bride' (1990), starring Park Joong-hoon and Choi Jin-sil
25th (Fri, Chuseok Day): Director Oh Jung-min's independent film 'Jang-son' (2024), the story of a three-generation family running a tofu factory
26th (Sat, today): Director Phyllida Lloyd's 'Mamma Mia!' (2008), the story of a mother and her daughter who is about to marry on a Greek island

Of the three, today's film is the lightest and most upbeat. Songs like 'Dancing Queen' and 'Mamma Mia' are familiar to the parents' generation too, making it a good film for families gathered for the holiday to watch together without a generation gap. Sokcho City also said it arranged these screenings so that 'families and neighbors can share warmth together and make holiday memories.'

Why 4 PM? When It Ends and When the Sun Sets

Sunset Cinema is originally a Sokcho City program that shows free films every Saturday around sunset. It sets up a 300-inch large screen against the backdrop of Sokcho Port and shows independent and art films, documentaries, and films from the Gangwon region, and this spring it drew more than 100 people per screening at times. This Chuseok special screening, however, moved the start time up to 4 PM.

This timing fits today's schedule quite well. In Sokcho today, the sun sets at 18:17, and civil twilight (bright enough for outdoor activity without lighting) ends at 18:43. 'Mamma Mia!' runs a little over 1 hour 50 minutes, so starting at 4 it ends around 5:50. That means the sun sets about 30 minutes after the movie ends.

16:00 Screening begins
Around 17:50 Screening ends (may vary slightly depending on announcements before the start, etc.)
17:52 Moonrise
18:17 Sunset
18:43 Civil twilight ends; it starts getting properly dark from this point

There's one more thing to see. Today the moon rises at 17:52, right around when the movie ends. This year's Hangawi moon is at its fullest at 1:49 AM on the 27th, so this evening's moon will be nearly full as well. Many people probably couldn't see the moon on Chuseok Day because of the rain, but today the sky is clearing, so there's a chance you can watch the moon rise in the eastern sky after the movie. Keep in mind the forecast says some clouds may linger.

What to Bring: A Cushion, a Blanket, and an Umbrella

The items Sokcho City recommends bringing are three: a cushion, a blanket, and an umbrella. Since it's an outdoor venue, audience members need to bring their own items.

Cushion: The venue's tiered seating is stone or concrete, so sitting for nearly two hours gets cold and hard. A camping mat or a cushion from your car will do.
Blanket / outer layer: Today's daytime high is 24°C, but the low is 18°C. Being right next to the port, once the sun goes down the sea breeze makes it feel colder than it is. By around 6 when the movie ends, you'll probably need a light jacket.
Umbrella: Almost no precipitation is forecast for the afternoon. However, since it rained until early morning, the seats may be wet, so a waterproof mat or a sheet of plastic may be more useful than an umbrella.

If you have drinks or snacks, please be sure to take your trash with you. This week, the Facilities Management Corporation and citizens have been carrying out beach cleanups around Sokcho Beach (속초해수욕장), and trash piling up over the holiday is always a concern.

Is It Free? Do You Need to Register?

We need to be precise about this. The regular Sunset Cinema is a free program. However, in its press release for this Chuseok special screening, Sokcho City did not specify an admission fee, advance registration, or the number of seats. For earlier regular screenings, advance registration was taken and remaining seats were filled with on-site registration.

To avoid a wasted trip, the surest way is to check with the Sokcho City Hall Citizen Communication Division (033-639-2280) before you leave, or to look at notices on Sokcho City's official social media or the Sokcho Media Center website. Since it's a Saturday of the holiday, if you have trouble getting through by phone, check the social media notices first. If you want a good spot, arriving around 3:40 should let you sit comfortably.

Getting There: The Cheongchoho Lake Area Is Currently 'Very Crowded'

The Waterfront Park is in Geumho-dong, near Seorak Bridge (설악대교), at the mouth where Cheongchoho Lake (청초호) meets the sea. According to the congestion data 속초어때 collected at 10 AM, both Cheongchoho Lake and Dongmyeong Port (동명항) are 'Very Crowded'. Accommodations around 영랑호리조트 (Yeongnangho Resort), Oeongchi Beach (외옹치해변), 롯데리조트 속초 (Lotte Resort Sokcho), and Daepo Port (대포항) are at the same level. Since it's a holiday Saturday, it's unlikely to improve much in the afternoon either.

If you're staying downtown, walk. It's within walking distance from 중앙시장 (Jungang Market), 관광수산시장 (Gwangwang Susan Market), and Dongmyeong Port. If you look for parking around Cheongchoho Lake around 4 PM, you can easily miss the start of the screening.
If you're driving, leave early. Donghae-daero (동해대로) (coastal and downtown) is currently slow, so even getting around inside the city takes longer than usual.
If you're heading back to Seoul today, you'll need to do the math. Misiryeong-ro (미시령로) (toward Seoul) and Seoraksan-ro (설악산로) are currently congested, and today is forecast to be the day with the most return traffic. If you watch the movie to the end and leave around 6, you'll still hit the congested hours. Having dinner in Sokcho and leaving late at night, or simply staying one more night, may be less tiring.

Try Combining Your Day Like This

Here's how you can combine the movie with things worth doing in downtown Sokcho this afternoon.

Morning to 3 PM: The 'Hangawi Folk Experience Event' (10:00–17:00) at Sokcho Municipal Museum (속초시립박물관) in Nohak-dong (노학동). With traditional games and performances, it's a good place to go with children. You'll need to drive from the museum to the Waterfront Park, so head out around 3.
16:00–17:50: 'Mamma Mia!' at Sokcho Port Waterfront Park
18:00–18:40: Watch the sunset and moonrise at the port near the venue. This is when the sky over Seoraksan (설악산) turns red.
Evening: Downtown restaurants may have long waits because of the holiday, so placing a takeout order before the movie starts is one option.

For residents, this could be two quiet hours to sit with family worn out from hosting guests over the holiday. For travelers, it will be a chance to rest away from the crowded beaches and port, at a spot that captures Sokcho Port and Seoraksan in a single frame. The Chuseok special screenings end today, but Sunset Cinema is originally a program held every Saturday, so check Sokcho City's social media for the schedule after the holiday too.

Today we looked at the final Sunset Cinema screening at Sokcho Port Waterfront Park at 4 PM on the Chuseok holiday Saturday, along with the sunset and moonrise times. Did you find it helpful? We'll be back next time with even more useful information.