NEWS & REPORTS
See Your Schedule
Ko - production in Busan
- Korean Film News
- THE ADMIRAL: ROARING CURRENTS Claims All Time Korean Box Office Crown
- by Pierce Conran / Aug 18, 2014
Edges out AVATAR in just 17 Days
The all time Korean box office chart welcomed a new champion late on Friday evening (Liberation Day in Korea) as The Admiral:Roaring Currents eclipsed the 13.3 million admissions record set by James Cameroon’s Avatar almost five years ago. The period smash went on to record a total of 2.06 million viewers during its third weekend and has now drawn a total of 14.62 million viewers to theaters.Concerning revenue, The Admiral:Roaring Currents became the first Korean film to cross both the KRW 100 billion and USD 100 million mark and it currently stands at KRW 113 billion (USD 110.5 million). It still trails the all time benchmark of KRW 124.9 billion (USD 122.33 million) set by Avatar, which reached the mark with higher priced 3D tickets, but should eclipse that score before long.The Admiral:Roaring Currents wasn’t the only success on the chart as period swashbuckler The Pirates soaring 17% in its sophomore weekend for a take of 1.45 million viewers and a robust 4.29 million total after only 12 days. The film had the lowest opening of the three major period films this summer but will have no trouble overtaking Kundo: Age of the Rampant early this week.Meanwhile, SHIM Sung-bo’s debut Haemoo, which was co-written and executive produced by Bong Joon Ho, disappointed with a third place debut of 585,355 for a five-day total of 931,765. All told, Korean films accounted for 85.4% of the marketplace, a dominant showing in the busiest period of the year following months of drubbing from an influx of successful Hollywood tentpoles.Though the success of The Admiral:Roaring Currents has been welcoming news in the wake of soft box office performances, some criticism has been leveled at the vertically integrated business system employed by the majors, some of whom not only produce and distribute their films, but operate the country’s largest theater chains. The film’s success has also been correlated with a depressed national psyche following the tragic Sewol Ferry Disaster earlier this year.
- Any copying, republication or redistribution of KOFIC's content is prohibited without prior consent of KOFIC.
