‘Moana 2,’ ‘The Firefighters’ Lead Korea Box Office Recovery

As someone who has spent countless hours engrossed in the captivating world of cinema, I must say that the recent box office performance in South Korea has been a breath of fresh air. After a brief lull, the arrival of “Moana 2” and “The Firefighters” has reignited the spark that makes going to the movies such an exhilarating experience.

After a slow couple of weeks with the South Korean box office failing to surpass a total of $10 million, the release of “Moana 2” and the local success “The Firefighters” managed to boost revenues slightly. The weekend’s overall box office revenue was approximately $16 million.

For the second consecutive weekend, “Moana 2” reigned supreme at the box office, taking in $4 million, representing a 36.4% share of the market, and welcoming 610,389 viewers. This data comes from Kobis, a tracking service run by the Korean Film Council. To date, the film has grossed a total of $14.1 million within this region.

In the runner-up position, coming in second was the movie “The Firefighters,” which was released on December 4, earning $3.7 million, representing a 34.2% market share, and attracting 569,286 viewers. Over five days, the film’s total earnings amounted to $4.8 million.

Under the direction of Kwak Gyeong-Taek (“A Love”), the story unfolds at a fire station in Seoul. A novice firefighter is integrated into the Rescue Unit and is swiftly dispatched on his inaugural mission with an experienced comrade, renowned for saving numerous lives. Amidst the flames of a fierce blaze, the veteran disobeys the chief’s command to retreat, stubbornly pursuing the rescue of a building occupant. Despite successfully rescuing a young girl, the operation concludes in sorrow with the loss of a fellow firefighter. As tension mounts between the two, they are summoned to another inferno. Here, their unresolved dispute remains unsettled.

Over the past weekend, the second-ranked movie, “Wicked,” slipped one spot to third position, raking in $1.2 million, bringing its overall earnings to $10.3 million. In fourth place, the sports drama “One Win,” which also debuted on December 4 and features renowned Korean actor Song Kang-ho, garnered $629,250, increasing its total earnings to $1.1 million.

Rounding off the top five was mystery-thriller “Hidden Face” from veteran Kim Dae-woo (“The Servant”) that collected $598,100 for a total of $5.9 million. Also releasing on Dec. 4 was virtual K-pop band PLAVE’s concert film “Hello, Asterum,” which scored $417,835 over five days in sixth place. Among the plethora of new releases was Korean horror “The Unrighteous,” which collected $63,414 in five days from Dec. 4 in seventh place.

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2024-12-09 15:46