The Latest Samsung Onyx: Redefining Cinema in Korea
Immersion Perfected by Light
As the film began, a quiet gasp of awe rippled through the audience. When the screen illuminated the dark theater, every frame came to life with an unprecedented level of clarity. The characters' subtle expressions were vividly defined, while even the dimmest scenes unveiled striking contrasts and layers of intricate details.
But here's where it gets controversial... Some argue that the immersive experience is not just about visuals, but also about the emotional connection to the story. And this is the part most people miss... The emotional impact of a film is not solely dependent on the screen technology, but also on the storytelling and the overall cinematic experience.
Samsung Onyx, the world's first cinema LED display, introduced by Samsung Electronics in 2017, is revolutionizing the cinema experience in Korea. The first theater equipped with Samsung Onyx opened that same year at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Seoul, followed by five additional Lotte Cinema locations around the country.
Now, in October 2025, the latest evolution of Samsung Onyx, the company's first major update to the technology in eight years, makes its Korean debut at Lotte Cinema Sillim's Gwang-eum LED theater, the cinema brand's seventh LED venue.
A Rich Interplay Between Contrast and Color
The difference was clear the moment the screen lit up. As fine beams of light gradually filled the pitch-black display, Samsung Onyx delivered breathtaking contrast and deep blacks, while the interplay of light and color revealed an exceptional range of hues that almost felt tangible.
Unlike conventional projector systems, Samsung Onyx generates its own light through LEDs, producing perfectly defined blacks and whites along with an exceptionally rich color palette. Its outstanding contrast ratio and deep blacks ensure uniform brightness across the entire screen without light bleed, allowing even the darkest scenes to maintain their texture and depth.
'Even during the brightest and darkest scenes, my eyes didn’t feel strained,' shared moviegoer Jeonghyeon Yoon after watching a popular animated film at the theater. 'The frames flowed so smoothly that it made watching the movie even more enjoyable.'
Mega-Sized Screens That Transform the Atmosphere
The evolution of Samsung Onyx goes beyond picture quality. The 2025 model (ICD) is reshaping not just the visuals but the very environment of the moviegoing experience.
A new screen nearly 11 meters wide has been installed at Lotte Cinema Sillim's Gwang-eum LED theater - the largest size possible within the theater's dimensions. This was made possible by Samsung Onyx's flexible scaling options, which allow for custom sizing beyond the standard widths of 5 meters (1.25 mm pixel pitch), 10 meters (2.5 mm) and 14 meters (3.3 mm). In Lotte Cinema Sillim's case, additional cabinets were added to the sides and bottom of the standard 10-meter model, enlarging the display by more than 30%.
'Due to the structural limitations of the Sillim branch, we were previously able to install only a 10.24-by-5.4-meter LED screen,' Jeong explained. 'However, with Onyx's scalability, we expanded it to 11.52 by 6.3 meters, creating a captivating sense of immersion that fills the viewer's entire field of vision.'
The Future of Cinema
Samsung Onyx is more than just an LED screen - it's a space where viewers can experience the future of cinema right before their eyes. Those who have experienced the cutting-edge technology often comment that they can't wait to experience it again.
'The speed and intensity of the action scenes felt very real, and the vivid colors made me feel as if I were part of the movie,' Lim shared. 'With this level of picture and sound quality, I definitely want to watch my next film at an Onyx theater.'
'For films by directors like Makoto Shinkai, where color and visual style are essential, watching them here would feel completely different,' added Jeonghyeon Yoon.
In an era when the boundaries between streaming and theatrical releases are becoming increasingly blurred, Samsung Onyx reminds viewers of the irreplaceable emotion that only theaters can provide. The growing popularity of special sing-along screenings and theatrical releases of animation series proves that the in-theater experience remains truly unique.
Audiences today seek theaters that offer ultimate immersion and an experience that rekindles the magic of cinema. That's why the phrase 'a movie that has to be watched in a theater' still holds true. Amid this shift, Samsung Onyx is redefining the value of theaters through technological innovation and by opening new possibilities for cinematic experiences. The future of cinema that Samsung Onyx envisions is already unfolding - right before our eyes.
