South Korea’s cinema scene: A weekend of highs and lows
Alien: Romulus reclaims the top spot
The South Korean box office saw a modest $5.45 million in revenue over the weekend, with “Alien: Romulus” reclaiming the top spot despite a significant week-on-week decline. The film earned $905,000 between Friday and Sunday, marking a 45% drop from the previous week. This brought its cumulative earnings to $14.0 million since its release on August 14. For those interested, you can watch the trailer for Alien: Romulus.
Seasonal trends and upcoming releases
Early September is traditionally a slow period for Korean cinema as the summer season winds down and major releases are held back for the Chuseok holiday season. This past weekend was no exception, marking one of the weakest weekends of the year in terms of box office revenue.
Chuseok’s early arrival
This year, Chuseok arrives early, offering a three-day public holiday from Monday to Wednesday, September 16-18, in addition to the weekend. The highly anticipated “I, The Executioner,” known locally as “Veteran 2,” is set to dominate the holiday period. The film, a sequel to the 2015 crime blockbuster “Veteran,” premiered at Cannes and will also be showcased at the Toronto festival. You can catch a glimpse of it by watching the trailer for I, The Executioner.
Delayed releases
Two other major Korean films will not compete for Chuseok audiences. The star-studded thriller “Harbin,” which also premieres in Toronto, is aiming for a December release to capture the Christmas market. Meanwhile, “Uprising,” featuring Gang Dong-won and Park Jeong-min, will open the Busan International Film Festival on October 2 but will head straight to streaming on Netflix on October 11. Check out the trailers for Harbin and Uprising.
Box office surprises and disappointments
Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium
The concert film “Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium” ranked ninth in ticket sales but was the second-highest grossing film of the weekend, earning $662,000 from 30,200 spectators. Its cumulative earnings since August 28 stand at $5.05 million. Imax reported that the film earned $600,000 at its venues over the weekend, bringing its Imax total to $2.5 million, making it the highest-grossing local-language film in Korea at Imax theaters.
My Dearest Fu Bao
The weekend’s highest-opening film was “My Dearest Fu Bao,” a documentary about the preparations for a giant panda’s departure from Korea. Directed by Shim Jun and Thomas Ko, the film earned $630,000 over the weekend and $1.06 million since its release on Wednesday. Watch the trailer for My Dearest Fu Bao.
Pilot’s enduring success
The Korean comedy-drama “Pilot” continues to soar, earning $437,000 over the weekend and bringing its cumulative earnings to an impressive $31.7 million. For a taste of this long-haul success, check out the trailer for Pilot.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s underwhelming debut
Despite its global success, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” had a lackluster debut in Korea, opening in fifth place with $376,000 over the weekend and $613,000 over its five-day opening. Watch the trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Japanese and Korean animations
The Japanese animation film “Look Back,” directed by Oshiyama Kiyotaka, earned $361,000 over the weekend and $528,000 since its Thursday debut. Meanwhile, the Korean animation “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love” continued its run with a $344,000 fifth weekend haul, bringing its cumulative earnings to $6.39 million. Check out the trailers for Look Back and Heartsping: Teenieping of Love.
Twisters and Better Days
“Twisters” earned $255,000 in its fourth weekend in Korea, bringing its cumulative earnings to $4.72 million. The rereleased Chinese film “Better Days” earned $241,000, bringing its cumulative to $1.45 million. Watch the trailers for Twisters and Better Days.
Victory’s modest performance
The Korean cheerleading film “Victory” rounded out the top ten, earning $187,000 over the weekend for a cumulative of $2.94 million. For a glimpse into this energetic film, watch the trailer for Victory.
Final thoughts
The South Korean box office landscape is a dynamic and ever-changing environment. While some films soar to great heights, others struggle to find their footing. As we move into the Chuseok holiday season, it will be interesting to see which films capture the hearts and minds of audiences. Whether you’re a fan of horror, documentaries, or animated features, there’s something for everyone in the diverse world of Korean cinema.