Gardena Cinema, a neighborhood theater run by a Korean American family, is hosting free movie screenings this weekend in collaboration with Pluto TV. The event is part of a campaign to support independent theaters and celebrate the shared emotional experience of moviegoing.
Judy Kim, who inherited the theater from her parents John Kim and the late Joomyung Kim, said the screenings reflect the theater’s role in building community. “There’s a reason movie theaters should continue to exist,” she said. “Only in a theater can strangers sit together and laugh or cry at the same scenes.”
The lineup includes Grease (sing-along version) on June 7 at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday Night Fever at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Ghostbusters on June 8 at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Kim selected Grease to create a festive, sing-along experience. Saturday Night Fever was her mother’s favorite film and is screening for the first time at Gardena Cinema, thanks to Pluto TV covering the licensing cost. Ghostbusters was timed to coincide with “Ghostbusters Day,” an unofficial fan-created holiday.
A Korean American Legacy in a Historic Theater
The screenings are part of a national project led by Academy Award-winning director Sean Baker (The Florida Project), aiming to preserve independent cinemas. Gardena Cinema was selected as the first theater in the series. “It’s a project to protect fading local cinemas,” Baker said.
Built in 1946, Gardena Cinema has been maintained by the Kim family for decades. “Whenever something broke, my father would fix it himself,” Kim said. “There isn’t a single one of the nearly 800 seats he didn’t touch.”
Kim is now raising $15 million to renovate the building and apply for historic landmark status. Supporters have contributed personal donations and promotional film items for auction. “I want this place to remain a meaningful space for the community,” Kim said.
Even during the January 2024 wildfires near Los Angeles, Gardena Cinema stayed open. On January 10, the theater held a free five-hour comedy screening to lift community spirits. One viewer told Kim they had lost their home in the fire but laughed for the first time after watching the film. “It was incredibly moving,” Kim said.
From the laughter of strangers to the legacy of an immigrant family, Gardena Cinema continues to keep its doors open—and its story alive.
BY YEONGCHAE SONG [song.yeongchae@koreadaily.com]
