According to data from KOBIS, a tracking service run by the Korean Film Council, the historical drama “King’s Watcher” topped the box office in South Korea during its opening weekend.
“The King’s Warden” earned $4.9 million from 761,832 admissions Friday through Sunday, giving it a 58.1% share of total revenue. The film, directed by Jang Han-joon and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, and Yoo Ji-tae, is set in 1457 during the Joseon Dynasty. The film tells the story of Um Heon-do (Yoo), the village chief who welcomes the exiled teenage King Danjong (Park) into a remote mountain valley, without knowing the political turmoil and danger that will ensue. Since its release on February 4th, the film has grossed more than 1 million people and has grossed $6.4 million.
In second place, the musical drama “Choir of God” continued its steady run, earning $678,101 with 103,792 admissions. The movie, starring Park Si Hoo and Jung Jin Woong, has currently grossed $7.2 million at the box office.
“Once We Were Us,” which topped last week, has moved up to third place. The romance starring Goo Kyohwan and Moon Ga Young grossed $577,252 over the weekend. After spending more than a month in the top three, the film has grossed a total of $16.6 million from nearly 2.5 million admissions.
A documentary titled “December 3, 2024: Organized Rebellion, The Hidden Truth” debuted in fourth place. The film, which examines political events in late 2024, grossed $557,264 from 80,616 admissions for a total of $827,567.
Hollywood sci-fi thriller Mercy opened in fifth place, grossing $249,351 with 35,998 admissions. It has grossed $409,315 since its midweek debut.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” moved into sixth place, adding $208,987 to the total. James Cameron’s Threkel currently earns $53.8 million in South Korea.
Japanese anime “Butt Detective THE MOVIE Star & Moon” opened in 7th place with 20,204 viewers and $107,659. The film follows a great detective who infiltrates an idol contest on Stardust Island in order to uncover a criminal conspiracy.
Rounding out the top 10 are the local animated film “Simbi’s Haunted House: One More Summon” in 8th place with $110,603 ($1.9 million total), “Zootopia 2” in 9th place with $85,210 ($56.6 million total), and the trailer for the new spy thriller “Humint” in 10th place. “Humint,” directed by Ryu Seung-wan and starring Zo In-sung and Park Jung-min, grossed $94,107 in limited advance screenings ahead of its official release on February 11th.
The overall market total for the weekend was $8.6 million, up significantly from last week’s $4.9 million.
