MOVIE
'The King and the Man' Surpasses 16 Million Viewers, Sets New Box Office Record
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network, 'Project Hail Mary' directed by Phil Lord topped the box office on the 5th. It attracted 116,917 viewers in a single day, with a total of 1.63 million admissions.
'Project Hail Mary' follows the journey of Grace (played by Ryan Gosling), who wakes up alone in the middle of space with no memory, tasked with a final mission to save humanity from impending doom. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Sandra Wheeler.
'The King and the Man' ranked second at the box office. Although it ceded the top spot, it continues to be a popular choice among audiences. It recorded 94,406 viewers on the day, with a total of 16.09 million admissions, making it the third film in history to surpass 16 million viewers.
Last month, 'The King and the Man' became the 34th film in history to reach 10 million admissions. It also surpassed 'Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds' (2017, 14.41 million viewers) to become the third highest-grossing film in history. The top spot is held by 'Roaring Currents' (2014, 17.61 million viewers), followed by 'Extreme Job' (2019, 16.26 million viewers), with a gap of approximately 170,000 viewers.
Set in 1457 Cheongryeongpo, 'The King and the Man' tells the story of a village chief who voluntarily exiles himself for the prosperity of the village and a young dethroned king in exile. The film stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, and Jeon Mi-do.
In third place was 'The Final Investigation' starring Bae Sung-woo and directed by Park Cheol-hwan. It added 13,347 viewers in a day, bringing its total admissions to 56,316. 'The Final Investigation' is a crime investigation drama about Detective Jae-hyuk, who is demoted to a rural area, and his rookie partner Jung-ho, as they head to Seoul to solve a murder case involving two suspects.
Other films in the top five include the Japanese film 'The Last Song You Left' directed by Miki Takahiro in fourth place, and the animated film 'Demon Slayer: Mugen Train' directed by Haruo Sotozaki in fifth.
As of 9 a.m. on the 5th, the real-time reservation rankings were 'Project Hail Mary' in first place, 'Sal Mok Ji' in second, and 'The King and the Man' in third.
Reported by Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr
