In August 2024, I visited Medan, the largest city on Sumatra Island, Indonesia. During my stay, I went to a cinema, and here I will introduce information about the cinema and how to purchase tickets.
Cinepolis Lippo Plaza Medan Cinema
The cinema I visited this time is located on the 3rd floor of the Lippo Plaza Medan shopping mall. It’s a compact but clean theater with three screens. After ascending the escalator, you’ll open a glass door into a small lobby, and directly in front is the combined ticket and concession stand.
Two Ticket Counters (Left & Right)
There are two ticket counters, one on the left and one on the right, divided into “ONLINE” and “OFFLINE.” This means that those who have booked online (e.g., via web) go to the left counter, while those buying tickets directly at the counter without a reservation go to the right counter. Since I didn’t have a reservation, I queued at the right counter and told them the movie I wanted to watch, “Look Back.” Next, I chose my seats.
Important Note! “A” Row is the Back Row for Seating
This is where I made a mistake. On the screen, “A” was at the top and “G” was at the bottom. Based on my past experiences, I assumed “A” would be the front row (closest to the screen), so I selected “F” row, thinking it would be towards the back. However, when I entered the cinema, “G” row was actually the front row and “A” row was the very last row. The staff seemed to understand my confusion and told me it was okay to move to an empty seat five minutes after the movie started.
Fare Was 40,000 Rupiah, Paid in Cash
The movie ticket cost 40,000 Rupiah (approximately 400 yen) this time. This was cheaper than the cineplex I visited recently in Jakarta, where weekdays were 55,000 Rupiah and weekends were 75,000 Rupiah. However, I’m not sure if this price difference is due to the film, the theater, or the day of the week. Prices could fluctuate.
I paid the fare in cash. Recently, cashless payments at automatic ticket machines have become mainstream in many Asian cinemas, but here, there were no ticket machines; payments were made in cash at the counter, just like in old Japan. Honestly, it was easier than navigating unfamiliar operations on English-labeled machines abroad.
“Chainsaw Man” is Popular in Indonesia Too
The movie I watched this time was “Look Back.” Its release in Indonesia was delayed from Japan, opening on July 31, 2024. I hadn’t seen it in Japan, but since it had a great reputation, I decided to watch it in Indonesia.
In the lobby before the screening, I saw a group of young people in their 20s holding Japanese tankōbon (manga volumes) of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s “Chainsaw Man.” I struck up a conversation, and one of the young men could speak Japanese. He told me he plans to work at a restaurant in Chiba, Japan, starting next January. He seemed happy to talk with a Japanese person and chatted a lot, and he even took a photo with everyone in front of the movie poster. I hope his workplace in Japan offers good treatment.
Conclusion
This time, I visited a small-scale cinema. The shopping mall housing the theater was also small. Since Medan is the largest city on Sumatra Island, there are still many cinemas in the city. I heard there are also larger-scale cineplexes with more screens, so if I get the chance during my stay, I’d like to visit one of those too. The reversed seating order was also a new experience for me.
