South Korea’s box office: A deep dive into the latest hits and misses
“I, The Executioner” reigns supreme
The South Korean box office has been buzzing with excitement as “I, The Executioner” continues to dominate for the second consecutive weekend. This local blockbuster, a sequel to the 2015 crime comedy drama “The Veteran”, has amassed an impressive $40 million in just ten days. For those eager to catch a glimpse, you can watch the trailer here.
Weekend performance and market share
From Friday to Sunday, the film raked in $6.63 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Despite a steep 56% decline from the previous weekend, this drop is not entirely unexpected. The previous weekend coincided with the first few days of a five-day holiday, which naturally inflated the numbers. Even with this decline, “I, The Executioner” maintained a dominant market share of over 71%.
Chuseok: A mixed blessing for cinemas
Chuseok, one of South Korea’s major holidays, brought a mixed bag of results for the cinema industry. Kofic reports that spectator numbers for the five-day period reached 4.66 million, a 50% increase year-on-year. However, this figure still fell short of the 5.13 million who visited cinemas during the same period in 2019.
The impact of new releases
Unlike last year’s Chuseok, which saw the release of three ambitious films—“Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman: Secret of Snowy Field”, “Boston 1947”, and “Cobweb”—this year’s success was driven primarily by “I, The Executioner”. The lack of strong new releases post-holiday led to a return to more typical cinema-going levels, with nationwide theatrical takings over the weekend totaling $9.23 million.
Other notable performances
“Begin Again” makes a surprising comeback
In a surprising turn of events, the highest-scoring new release was a re-issue of the Hollywood romance “Begin Again”. Directed by John Carney, this 2014 film earned $331,000, securing second place. You can watch the trailer here.
“Heartsping: Teeniping of Love” and other animations
“Heartsping: Teeniping of Love”, derived from a popular kids’ TV franchise, took third place with $307,000, bringing its cumulative earnings to $7.36 million. This makes it one of the highest-grossing Korean-made animation films of all time. Another Korean animation, “Bread Barbershop: The Birth of the Bread Star”, earned $269,000, bringing its total to $1.22 million since its release on September 14.
Concert films and Japanese animations
The concert film “Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium” ranked fifth with weekend revenues of $262,000, bringing its cumulative total to $6.35 million since its release on August 28. Meanwhile, the Japanese animation film “Look Back” took sixth place with $194,000, accumulating $1.45 million after 19 days on release.
Upcoming releases and previews
“Alien: Romulus” and “Transformers One”
“Alien: Romulus” continues to perform well, earning $159,000 for a cumulative total of $15.1 million. Its success is bolstered by its presence in premium-priced venues. The upcoming “Transformers One”, set to release on Wednesday, made an early chart appearance in eighth place due to preview screenings, earning $89,000 over the weekend and banking $270,000 ahead of its official release. Watch the trailer here.
Re-releases and documentaries
The re-release of the Chinese youth film “Better Days” earned $88,000, bringing its running total to $1.88 million. The Korean panda documentary “My Dearest Fu Bao” took tenth place, earning $76,900 and bringing its cumulative total to $1.66 million since its release on September 4.
Final thoughts
The South Korean box office landscape is a fascinating mix of local blockbusters, re-releases, and niche films. “I, The Executioner” has proven to be a formidable force, but the market remains dynamic with a variety of films catering to different tastes. Whether you’re a fan of crime dramas, romantic comedies, or animated features, there’s something for everyone. Keep an eye on upcoming releases and enjoy the diverse offerings of South Korean cinema.