A new trend of urban lifestyle has become more and more popular in China’s major cities. The younger generation is viewing films in private movie bars rather than theaters, but legal problems and safety concerns are lingering, local media reported.

As early as 2007, some private businessmen started informal "private theaters" in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities. But the trend has become more and more popular in recent years, as hundreds of private movie theaters or bars, which have obtained certain permits from the local government, were opened and sheltered in business properties, malls and commercial avenues of major Chinese cities.

These bars can be described as something like VHS screening venues meet karaoke boxes. Movie bars, often delicately decorated in various themes, may have many small rooms or booths. Each room or booth has a screen, several sofa seats and may accommodate two persons or a slightly larger crowd.

Young people, especially lovers and white-collar workers, can choose any film they like, or hold a small get-together party, play video games or watch live sports broadcasts in this kind of venue which stresses atmosphere and privacy and provides intimate services and experiences. The bar also charges people by the hour.

As China has become the second largest film market in the world, there is certainly a vast need to be met in addition to the movies screened in multiple-seat public cinemas and normal film-watching experiences.

Years ago, China once had more than 1.5 million VHS screening venues nationwide before they became outdated and stepped off the stage of history, according to the statistics from the Ministry of Culture.

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