The film 'The First Ride' soared to the top of the box office on its opening day, October 29.
'The First Ride' is a comedy about a group of friends embarking on their first overseas trip after 24 years of friendship. The film stars Kang Ha-neul as Tae-jung, Kim Young-kwang as Do-jin, Cha Eun-woo as Yeon-min, Kang Young-suk as Geum-bok, and Han Seon-hwa as Ok-shim. Notably, Cha Eun-woo is currently serving in the military.
According to the KOREA Box-office Information System, 'The First Ride' attracted 82,687 viewers on its opening day, with a cumulative audience of 103,928, surpassing 'Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc' to claim the number one spot at the box office. This figure surpasses the opening score of 81,673 for the hit film 'The Firefighters,' which drew 3.85 million viewers. It also follows the opening score of 85,705 for Kang Ha-neul's previous film 'YADANG: The Snitch,' which ranked second in Korean box office hits in 2025 with 3.37 million viewers. The film is expected to generate positive word-of-mouth buzz.
'The First Ride' has garnered attention as a reunion between director Nam Dae-jung and Kang Ha-neul, who previously collaborated on 'Love Reset.' The film features a fresh and humorous cast, including Choi Guy-hwa, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Ko Kyu-phil, alongside the main stars, making it appealing to audiences.
Viewers who watched 'The First Ride' have left positive reviews, saying, "The atmosphere of laughing together in the theater was wonderful," "It's the funniest movie I've seen this year. It's purely hilarious," and "A lifelong friendship, a lifelong laugh," contributing to the film's growing word-of-mouth popularity.
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr