[Weekend Box Office Clash] 'The Man Who Survives With the King' Hits 15 Million, Reservation-Rate Swing Reverses 'Miracle'

Surpassing 15 million 'The Man Who Survives With the King' vs. the No. 1 advance-reservation-rate holder 'Project Hail Mary', a major weekend face-off

A new milestone has been set in Korean film history. 'The Man Who Survives With the King' has surpassed 15 million cumulative admissions, placing it as the No. 3 biggest box-office hit of all time. According to Korea’s integrated theater ticket computer system, it reclaimed the top spot the day before with about 72,000 viewers and reached approximately 15.104 million cumulative admissions. This staggering record trails immediately behind 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' (17.61 million) and 'Extreme Job' (16.26 million). By delving into the exile-life of Danjong, the deposed king exiled to a remote land, the film has settled into a long-running hit streak, driven by standout performances from 'Park Ji-hoon' and 'Yoo Hae-jin'.

This weekend, however, the balance may tip. 'Project Hail Mary', based on Andy Weir’s namesake SF bestselling novel, has launched a strong counterattack. It held second place at the box office the day before (with about 41,000 viewers), but as of 8 a.m. on the 27th, its real-time advance ticket reservation rate came in at 32.3% (around 137,000 tickets), overtaking 'The Man Who Survives With the King' (24.1%) and moving to the top of the advance reservation rate rankings.

In addition, 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Mugen Train Arc', which has a solid fanbase, demonstrated staying power by ranking No. 3 in both the box office and the advance reservation rate ranking (6.0%). Meanwhile, the action blockbuster starring Mila Jovovich, 'The Protector', landed in fourth place.

Will 'The Man Who Survives With the King', the powerhouse at theater ticket sales, be able to firmly hold the top spot? Or will 'Project Hail Mary', fueled by its clear advantage in the advance reservation rate, establish itself as the new box-office king this weekend? All eyes are on how the movie theater landscape will unfold.