[Box Office] ‘Chiikawa’ Holds No. 1 for Second Straight Week, Surpassing 1.82 Million

‘Chiikawa’ fever keeps it atop the box office for a second straight week

<​strong>‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island’, featuring the popular Japanese character, took a commanding hold of theaters over the weekend. According to data from the Korean Box Office Information System on the 19th, the film drew about 378,000 moviegoers from the 16th through the 18th, accounting for 42.7% of box office revenue, and firmly held on to the No. 1 spot.

Carrying over the momentum of the Hangul Day holiday weekend (Oct. 9–11, about 407,800 moviegoers), the film’s cumulative audience climbed to ‘about 1,828,000’. The movie follows ‘Chiikawa’ and friends as they travel to an unknown island and uncover its hidden secrets. Its chilly, weighty storyline, which contrasts with the signature cute illustrations of creator ‘Nagano’, has fueled word of mouth and laid the groundwork for a long theatrical run.

‘Assassins’ continues its box-office run amid controversy, surpassing 3.24 million

Director Heo Jin-ho’s ‘Assassins’, which takes an in-depth look at the shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, placed second at the box office. About 140,000 people (15.6%) saw the film over the weekend, bringing its cumulative audience to ‘about 3,249,000’.

Despite its weighty direction as it traces historical facts, allegations of historical distortion that emerged shortly after the film’s release remain unresolved. As the social repercussions widen, including protests outside the lead actor’s home and political sparring during a National Assembly audit, police recently entered a new phase by ending protection for lead actor ‘Yoo Hae-jin’, who had been under protective measures.

‘Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub’ nears 2 million as it wraps up its run

<​strong>‘Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub’, the final chapter in one of Korean crime cinema’s signature entertainment franchises, came in third. It drew about 94,000 moviegoers (10.9%) over the same period, bringing its cumulative audience to ‘about 1,911,000’ and putting it within reach of the 2 million mark.

‘Lost in Paradise’ and ‘Clayface’ poised to shake up the second-half box office

Pre-sale figures for upcoming releases offer a glimpse of where the box office may be headed. ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island’ currently leads with an 28.2% pre-sale rate (about 46,000 tickets), but new releases are closing in fast.

Director Yeon Sang-ho’s highly anticipated ‘Lost in Paradise’ is close behind, with an 11.4% pre-sale rate (about 18,000 tickets). It tells the story of So-young (‘Kim Hyun-joo’), whose son goes missing, and the mystery that unfolds when she reunites with him, Seon-woo, nine years later. DC Studios’ ambitious ‘Clayface’ is tracking at a 10.9% pre-sale rate (about 17,000 tickets). The film delves into the story of Matt Hagen (‘Tom Rhys Harries’), an actor who falls from promising Hollywood newcomer to rock bottom.

‘Lost in Paradise’ and ‘Clayface’ are set to open simultaneously on the 21st, bringing fresh energy to theaters.