South Korean box office: Concert film ‘IM HERO’ tops the charts
A weekend of surprises at the box office
In an unexpected twist, the concert film “Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium” emerged as the top-grossing film at the South Korean box office this past weekend. This unconventional success story outpaced traditional narrative films like “Alien: Romulus” and “Pilot”.
Box office numbers: A closer look
According to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic), “IM HERO” raked in $1.89 million between Friday and Sunday, and a total of $3.47 million over its five-day opening frame. In comparison, “Alien: Romulus” earned $1.66 million in its third weekend, bringing its 19-day cumulative to $12.5 million.
However, it’s important to note that local conventions rank films based on spectator numbers. By this metric, “Alien: Romulus” maintained its lead for a third weekend, selling 223,000 tickets compared to the 87,000 tickets sold for “IM HERO”. The disparity is largely due to the concert film’s higher ticket prices.
The rise of Lim Young Woong
Lim Young Woong, known for his ballads and trot songs, gained fame through a 2020 TV talent show. With his good looks and wholesome image, he has garnered a massive following in Korea, akin to Taylor Swift’s fan base in the West. The film captures his performances over two days at Seoul World Cup Stadium in May, interspersed with documentary footage of the months of preparation and behind-the-scenes moments. Over five days, the film attracted around 161,000 spectators, significantly more than the two live shows combined.
Comedy and animation: Other top performers
The comedy hit “Pilot” earned $906,000 in its fifth weekend, placing it third by revenue (or second by ticket sales). Since its release on July 31, it has accumulated $31 million and 4.51 million ticket sales, making it the fourth biggest film of the year.
“Twisters” took fourth place by revenue, earning $555,000 in its third weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $4.32 million. Meanwhile, the Korean animation film “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love” slipped to fifth position by revenue but held fourth in spectator numbers due to its high volume of children’s tickets. It earned $511,000 over the weekend, with a four-weekend cumulative of $5.98 million.
Horror and re-releases: A mixed bag
The Korean-produced horror-thriller “Spring Garden” took sixth place with $500,000 over the weekend, bringing its 12-day cumulative total to $2.37 million. A re-release of Derek Tsang’s Hong Kong and China-made youth film “Better Days” earned $343,000 over the weekend, securing seventh place.
Feel-good films and political thrillers
The Korean feel-good cheerleading film “Victory” earned $319,000 in its third weekend, bringing its cumulative to $2.58 million. The Korean political thriller “Land of Happiness” earned $186,000, placing ninth. After three weekends, it has accumulated $4.77 million.
New releases and adaptations
The drama and book-to-film adaptation “Because I Hate Korea” opened in tenth place with $131,000 over the weekend and $260,000 over its full five-day opening. This film had the honor of being the opening title at last year’s Busan International Film Festival.
A struggling box office
The weekend’s aggregate box office was $7.97 million, down 15% week-on-week. This data highlights the ongoing struggles of the South Korean box office in the post-COVID era. August’s box office was worth KRW117 million ($87.4 million), 19% lower than August 2023. July’s box office was KRW115 million, down from KRW140 million.
Personal reflections
For cinema enthusiasts, the success of “IM HERO” is a fascinating case study in how non-traditional films can capture the public’s imagination. It also underscores the enduring appeal of live performances, even when translated to the big screen. For TV series and music fans, Lim Young Woong’s rise to stardom is a testament to the power of talent shows and the deep connection fans can form with their idols.
For more details on the mentioned movies and series, you can check out their trailers and information pages:
- Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium
- Alien: Romulus
- Pilot
- Twisters
- Heartsping: Teenieping of Love
- Spring Garden
- Better Days
- Victory
- Land of Happiness
- Because I Hate Korea
This weekend’s box office results offer a rich tapestry of genres and stories, reflecting the diverse tastes of South Korean audiences. Whether you’re a fan of concert films, comedies, animations, or thrillers, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.