Coupon Periods Expanded from One Day to Five, IMAX Invitations Extended to Jeonju and Busan… Why LG Uplus Expanded Its CSAT Benefits

An earlier invited event at Hwadam Botanical Garden drew 46,000 long-term customers, resulting in a competition ratio of 9.2:1. Based on this response, LG Uplus expanded the number of IMAX invites and the host regions. Separately, reflecting customer feedback that the single-day coupon distribution window led to missed opportunities, the company extended the PLUS WEEK period to five days. In other words, one change originated from demand data and the other from feedback on usability, reshaping the two structures of the 2026 Suneung season benefits ¹.

This shift is significant because it represents a company-led adjustment based on actual application numbers and customer feedback stating that events concentrated in the metropolitan area were difficult to attend, rather than a unilateral revision of rules. Events that had filled the cultural gap following the Suneung have shifted in 2026 toward a model where "children and parents experience it together."

One-Day Coupons Extended to Five Days

According to LG Uplus' plan announced on November 8, 2026, the core of this measure is "Upptool PLUS WEEK." While the name might suggest expanded benefits, the company's changes focused on the period and access method. Reflecting customer feedback, the distribution period for coupons from popular partners, which was previously available for only one day, has been extended to five days ¹.

Understanding why the previous "one-day" limitation was inconvenient makes the reason for this change clearer. The existing "Upptool" service operated by allowing customers to download coupons on specific days each month and use them until the end of the month ². With the coupon distribution window open for only one specific day, customers who did not check the app on that day missed out on valuable partner coupons. PLUS WEEK extends this one-day window to five days, from November 16 to 20, allowing customers to utilize their desired benefits according to their own schedules ¹. However, the condition that distribution may end early during the event if the prepared quantity is exhausted remains in place ¹.

The scope of benefits also covers a wide range, from food and beverages to travel and culture. Food and beverage offers include Starbucks Americano 1+1, Gong Cha discounts up to 50%, Paris Baguette discounts up to 8,000 KRW, and Paikmi Dang Best Menu 4 types 1+1 ¹. In the lifestyle and shopping sectors, offers include Daiso gift certificates up to 3,000 KRW, Lotte Mart Zeta online store discount coupons up to 50%, Spao discounts up to 15,000 KRW, Ottogi Mall discounts of 15,000 KRW, and Pulmuone discounts of 10,000 KRW. Travel and leisure items include Seoul Land park ticket discounts of 55%, Lotte World all-day pass discounts of 47%, Yeogiarae domestic accommodation discounts of 30,000 KRW, and Lotte Rent-a-Car G Car rental fee discounts of 60% ¹. Distribution is conducted via LG Uplus' integrated app "U+one," where each customer can receive one coupon per partner company ¹.

IMAX Theater Booking: Expanding Regions and Entire Theaters

If extending the coupon period is an adjustment of "accessibility," the IMAX screening is closer to enhancing the "density of the experience." This event is named "U+ Long-Term Customer IMAX Special Day" and is an invited event for a total of 4,000 people at five CGV IMAX theaters nationwide, targeting VVIP-tier customers who have used LG Uplus for over 10 years ¹. The featured film is "Dune: Part 3," released in the second half of this year ¹.

The most notable aspect of the event structure is the "entire theater booking" format. LG Uplus has secured five IMAX theaters nationwide exclusively so that long-term customers can watch the movie with their children who have finished the Suneung, without needing a separate reservation process ¹. Customers wishing to attend can apply via U+one from November 11 to 25, and are also invited to submit stories about creating special memories with their children who have completed the Suneung ¹. The event will be held over two days, December 21 and 22, at five IMAX theaters: CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall, Wangsimni, Yeongdeungpo, Jeonju Hyoja, and Busan Centum City ¹.

The company explains that the "Dune" series is characterized by vast desert landscapes, large-scale battle scenes, and grand sound, making IMAX—the preferred format for viewing on large screens with immersive audio—highly popular ¹. IMAX refers to premium theaters with larger screens and differentiated sound systems compared to standard theaters.

How It Differs from the 2024 Re-release

How much this IMAX event has changed is clearly visible when compared with the example from two years ago. Immediately after the 2024 Suneung, LG Uplus linked "Upptool" to re-screen that year's hits, including "Exhuma," "The Roundup: Punishment," and "Inside Out 2" ². At that time, the structure involved giving away two movie tickets and a combo set to 1,500 selected applicants via lottery, with a cookie video cheering on test-takers planned to screen after the movie in the theaters ². The eligibility criteria for entry were students who met the condition of being U+membership VIP tier or higher, or long-term customers of 5 years or more ².

The 2026 IMAX Special Day has changed two aspects of this format. The number of invites increased from 1,500 to 4,000, and the target for application shifted from "test-takers themselves" to "VVIPs and long-term customers of 10 years or more" ¹. In other words, the 2026 event is closer to a large-scale exclusive theater booking event where parents take their children who have taken the Suneung, rather than a movie test-takers apply for and watch themselves through the app ¹. If one expected "benefits directly received by test-takers," it is essential to check this eligibility condition first.

There is another point to distinguish here. This IMAX exclusive booking event is separate from the usual CGV discount coupons. Under normal circumstances, VVIP and VIP tiers can receive up to 12 benefits per year, combining three free annual bookings and nine 1+1 bookings ³. This event for 4,000 people should be understood as an invited event through separate application, not as one that uses these standing discount coupons ³.

Additionally, it must be considered that the PC-based movie ticket reservation service ended on August 19, 2026, and transitioned to the U+one app exclusively from September 1 ³. As existing PC reservations can only be canceled, installing the U+one app is effectively mandatory for those preparing for this IMAX application ³.

The Direction Created by the Number 46,000

Behind all these adjustments lies demand confirmed by actual applications. The previous invited event at Hwadam Botanical Garden saw 46,000 long-term customers apply, recording a competition ratio of 9.2:1 ¹. Based on this response, LG Uplus decided to expand experiential benefits for long-term customers. The company explained that it specifically expanded the host regions to Jeonju and Busan, reflecting customer feedback that invited events concentrated in the metropolitan area made participation difficult ¹.

A notable aspect here is the nature of the motivation. If the phrase "because customers wanted it" had been an abstract slogan, this would have remained merely marketing copy. However, the sequence—"46,000 people created a 9.2:1 competition ratio, and feedback was received that customers outside the metropolitan area found it difficult to participate"—demonstrates a causal link from concrete demand data to the actual result of regional expansion ¹. The fact that this IMAX Special Day is the final long-term customer invited event of the year, following the Hwadam Botanical Garden event, also aligns with this context ¹.

Regarding the coupon period, the 2024 example serves as a small baseline. "Upptool" coupons were issued on specific days each month and usable until the end of the month ². This PLUS WEEK widens the "issuance window from one day to five days," rather than shortening the usage period of the coupons themselves ¹.

The actual changes in LG Uplus' 2026 Suneung season benefits can be summarized in two lines. The coupon distribution window has expanded from one day to five days, allowing customers to receive partner coupons according to their schedules, and the IMAX invited event has expanded from Seoul to Jeonju and Busan, allowing long-term customers outside the metropolitan area to participate ¹. The coupon period extension reflects customer feedback on the inconvenience of a one-day window, while the IMAX regional expansion is based on demand data—46,000 applications and a 9.2:1 competition ratio for the Hwadam Botanical Garden event—and feedback regarding "concentration in the metropolitan area" ¹. However, the eligibility condition of being a VVIP or long-term customer of 10 years or more, and the limitation of early termination if the prepared quantity is exhausted, apply here as well ¹. While it is true that the doors to benefits have widened, verifying first who has access to these doors and when they might close is the way to fully claim this Suneung season's benefits.