South Korean Box Office Shaken Up by “Alien: Romulus”

In an exciting turn of events, the South Korean box office was dominated by the new release, “Alien: Romulus.” This U.S. horror-thriller franchise film managed to outshine five other new-release titles, securing its place at the top of the weekend chart.

Impressive Box Office Performance

“Alien: Romulus” raked in an impressive $3.47 million from Friday to Sunday, capturing a 28% market share. These figures were derived from data provided by Kobis, a tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Over its five-day opening, “Alien Romulus” earned $5.46 million, further cementing its success.

Impact on Previous Top-Performers

The arrival of “Alien: Romulus” and other new releases had a significant impact on the box office landscape. The Korean comedy-drama film “Pilot,” which had been leading the box office for two weeks, was nudged into second place. These new entries also boosted the nationwide weekend box office total to $12.4 million.

Performance of “Pilot”

Despite suffering a 45% week-on-week drop, “Pilot” managed to earn $2.73 million over the weekend. This brought its three-weekend tally to $26.7 million, making it the fourth highest-grossing film in Korea this year. This relegated “Wonka” to the fifth position for 2024.

New Releases Making Waves

Among the new releases, the Korean-produced film “Land of Happiness” made a strong debut, opening in third place with a $1.57 million weekend. The film, which delves into Korea’s political turmoil of the late 1970s, earned $3.12 million over five days.

Other New Releases

“Twisters” was another new release that made it to the top three, earning a modest $1.61 million and a 9.3% market share over the weekend. Including its five-day opening run and preview screenings from the previous week, “Twisters” has a cumulative of $2.17 million.

Performance of Other Films

The Korean animation film “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love” slipped from second to fifth place over the weekend, earning $854,000 for a 12-day cumulative total of $4.52 million. “Victory,” a Korean comedy-drama about cheerleading that premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival, opened in sixth place, earning $636,000 over the weekend and $1.36 million over five days.

Concert Film and Other Releases

The concert film “Seventeen Tour ‘Follow’ Again to Cinemas” debuted in seventh place, with $339,000 in weekend gross receipts. On local charts, which rank performance by admission numbers, it came in tenth. The film has earned $843,000 from 45,000 K-pop fans.

Continued Success of Long-Running Films

“Despicable Me” earned $300,000 over the weekend, bringing its four-weekend cumulative to $10.2 million and making it the 14th biggest film in Korea this year. “Inside Out 2,” the top import film of the year and third overall in Korea, added a further $195,000 to its earnings. Since its release on June 12, it has accumulated $62.6 million.

Performance of “Deadpool & Wolverine”

“Deadpool & Wolverine” appears to have a shorter lifespan. It earned $188,000 over the weekend and has a cumulative of $15.0 million since its release on July 24, the same day as “Despicable Me 4”.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the South Korean box office has seen a significant shake-up with the arrival of new releases like “Alien: Romulus.” The performance of these films, along with long-running favorites, continues to shape the box office landscape. It will be interesting to see how these dynamics evolve in the coming weeks.

FAQs

Which film topped the South Korean box office recently?

“Alien: Romulus” recently topped the South Korean box office during its opening weekend.

How much did “Alien: Romulus” earn during its opening weekend?

“Alien: Romulus” earned $3.47 million during its opening weekend.

Which film was the previous top performer at the South Korean box office?

“Pilot,” a Korean comedy-drama film, was the previous top performer at the South Korean box office.

What was the highest-grossing film in Korea this year?

As of now, “Pilot” is the fourth highest-grossing film in Korea this year.

Credit: variety.com