'The Moon' + 'Unofficial Operation', released on the same day, the reason why it failed at the box office

The cumulative number of moviegoers by the Korean Film Council, which shows the audience's choice as an objective figure, is an honest report card. Of course, it may be premature to regard the number of viewers as only a single indicator for judging the quality of the film and its position, but it is clear that it is an important number as it is a commercial film with huge production costs and the goal of box office success. In a way, it is closer to the essence of a commercial film. This may be the reason why the number of spectators in the audience is continuously reported.

The report cards of 'The Moon' (director Kim Yong-hwa) and 'The Unofficial Operation' (director Kim Seong-hoon), which were released together on the 2nd, are somewhat sluggish. According to the box office of the 31st week of the Korea Film Promotion Commission's integrated computer network for movie theater tickets, 'The Moon' mobilized 184,824 viewers over the weekend and recorded a cumulative audience of 360,944. 'Unofficial Operation' is similar, with 40,357 spectators watching during the same period, recording a cumulative number of spectators of 700,142. 'Smuggling' (director Ryu Seung-wan), which was released on the 26th, mobilized 318,092 viewers on the first day of release and entered the first place, and now the cumulative number of viewers has exceeded 3,535,579. If so, when did the correlation between a movie and the number of audiences start, and what is the reason for the poor performance of the two works?

Let's start the story from a little further away. It is the birthplace of cinema. On December 28, 1895, the film began with the Lumiere Brothers' 'Arrival of the Train'. What was the criterion for dividing it? If you look closely at 'Arrival of the Train', there is a record that you paid 1 franc to watch it at the Grand Café. In other words, it was the first commercial film in the form of showing a movie for money to the audience. Film, rather than a pure art, developed as an industrial aspect, and indicators such as the number of audiences became important. It has grown into a form of comprehensive art that has to earn money together, rather than simply leaving it as a work of art.

Because of that, 'The Moon' with a production cost of 28 billion won and 'Unofficial Operation' with a production cost of 20 billion won cannot smile from an industrial point of view. Their break-even points are about 6 million and about 4 to 5 million, respectively, and they need a shot to make up for the sluggish rush in the early stages. 'Elemental' (director Peter Sohn) also recorded a cumulative number of viewers of 6,313,805 so far as word of mouth spread despite the poor situation in the beginning. However, in relation to the number of viewers, it is pointed out that 'The Moon' and 'The Unofficial Operation' were the result of the cinematic quality of the film itself not being able to demonstrate its power. In fact, even before the release, there were concerns that 'The Moon' is a universe embodied in the prejudice of Korean SF, and that 'Unofficial Operation' is highly likely to become a 'taste of knowledge' with actors Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, and director Kim Seong-hoon's successive meetings. Then, what is the reason why 'The Moon' and 'Unofficial Operation' are not working hard?


◆ A story that required a new strategy

'The Moon' and 'Unofficial Operation' are directed by Kim Yong-hwa, who became the director of Ssangcheon Man with the 'Along with the Gods' series, and Kim Seong-hoon, who received favorable reviews for directing the 'Kingdom' series, respectively. Regardless of the previous box office performance, this work does not seem to have received a favorable response from the audience.

Director Kim Yong-hwa's 'The Moon' showed the vast universe through VFX and CG while showing growth in terms of technology. But one thing was overlooked. To draw only experiential films because of SF is to repeat the failures of Korean SF in the past. There should be an unfamiliar story at the center.

However, 'The Moon' uses excessive kindness in the process of narrowing the physical distance of the universe and the psychological distance of humans. The film is about the rescue of those who use their strength on Earth to save Seon-woo (Do Kyung-soo), who is alone in the universe. The actors' passionate performances are one of the highlights, but they do not seem to have reached the narrowing of their emotions like the gap between the earth and the universe. The fact that the 'sinpa' is stuck is also considered a big problem. Also, unlike existing SF, if you ask if it showed a new story, you will tilt your head. Again, it will be highly praised for its technical achievements, but it's a disappointing result when you consider what the film is made of.

The key to director Kim Seong-hoon's 'Unofficial Operation' was whether it could show a new story beyond similar genres such as 'Negotiation' (director Lim Soon-rye) and 'Mogadishu' (director Ryu Seung-wan). It is also true that recently, films based on true stories in overseas locations have appeared. Due to the nature of 'true story', there is a kind of limitation that the ending is fixed, so it is pointed out that it is important to structure it in a cinematic way.

However, 'Unofficial Operation' seems to have made a slightly safer choice. I also think that the essence is a little blurred within the simple structure of diplomat Min-joon who went to dispatch - conflict in the field - and the resolution of hardships. Of course, Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon's comical and serious acting are also the weight that supports the play. However, since a similar formula was used, the following shows the expected development, and it is regrettable what it would have been like if the 'unofficial operation' had unfolded a new operation.


◆ The fun of erased genres with safe choices

'The Moon' and 'Unofficial Operation' are based on the sci-fi and action genres, respectively. However, it only followed the genre formula, choosing safety rather than attempting to newly expand the genre.

In the case of 'The Moon', the near future of 2029 is used as the temporal background. There is a side that gains sympathy by overlapping with the successful launch of 'Danuri', but the genre-like pleasure of SF has been erased. SF is not simply a space movie, but a genre based on scientific imagination, and it cannot be said that the genre has achieved achievements simply by attempting to realize outer space.

Of course, the action of running away from meteorites falling on the moon provides something to see, but as the imagination is erased, it seems that the expectations of the audience that the genre expects from the genre are not met. The story of 'The Moon' is simple. Rescuing Seonwoo who was isolated in space. Inside the wrecked ship, Seon-woo unlocks the safety device to switch to manual mode, but director Kim Yong-hwa uses a familiar device and cannot get off the safety device.

In the case of 'Unofficial Operation', the mission to escape the diplomat is close to the essence of the film, but before that, the biggest frame of the film is that it is a buddy movie between Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon. Laughter bursts out at familiar combinations, but there is a duality that the actor, not the character, is seen first. Also, as time goes by, devices that kindly explain the strong friendship between the two are placed here and there.

In the case of a car chasing action, going down the stairs or getting out of a narrow alley or a gunfight continues, but I wonder what they are fighting against. In the first place, Min-jun (Ha Jung-woo) started with a desire to change his place of work to New York, and Pan-su (Ju Ji-hoon) was blinded by money. The process of two people carrying out duties that the country is not responsible for seems very burdensome. I started out as an ordinary citizen, but it is regrettable that the situation has changed like a hero.

In fact, as the form of watching movies has changed, audiences have become a little more cautious about going to the theater to see a movie. This is because you can watch it through OTT even if it is not a theater, and you can also watch a short summary video. Ha Jung-woo, actor of 'Unofficial Operation', said about the summer tent pole market through the YouTube channel 'Lee Dong-jin's Paiakia', "We should all work together to be successful, not compete."

As the number of audiences who want certain fun has increased, it seems that it is necessary to think about increasing imagination and expanding the genre. 'The Moon' and 'The Unofficial Operation' are also in their infancy, so we'll have to watch the audience's choices carefully.

Reporter Lee Ha-neul, Ten Asia greenworld@tenasia.co.kr