Leading South Korean investor/distributor CJ Entertainment has announced that sci-fi thriller <Sector 7> has become the highest grossing Korean film in China. Released Dec. 6 on approximately 4,000 screens, the sea creature feature took in CNY20 million (US$3.1 million) by Dec. 14.
The film opened at no. 2 in its first week. Amongst foreign film releases, it was no. 1 at the box office. Released in China with the title “Shen Hai Zhi Zhan”, the film is the first large-scale 3D film from Korea to open in the country.
Directed by KIM Ji-hoon, whose other credits include <May 18>. The film stars HA Ji-won (<Haeundae>), AHN Sung-ki (<The Divine Weapon>), and OH Ji-ho (<My Wife Is a Gangster>) in a thriller about people on an oil drilling rig who find something more lively than fuel. The film was produced by JK Film and CJ Entertainment.
Romantic comedy <200 Pounds Beauty> was the previous holder of the record for top Korean film released in China, with CNY16 million in 2006.
Lead actress Ha Ji-won visited China to promote the film Dec. 5 – 7. Audiences had an opportunity to become familiar with her over the years from Korean television series such as <Secret Garden>.
The film also saw active online marketing, and gathered approximately 145,000 followers on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. Ha Ji-won also got 230,000 followers on Weibo. CJ Entertainment says it expects <Sector 7> to continue with great results.
Dec. 20, 2011