[Weekend Box Office] ‘Chiikawa the Movie’ Nears 3 Million; Lim Young-woong Leads Advance Ticket Sales at 15.9%

Animation holds on to the box office crown as presales signal a major shake-up next week

‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island,’ a Japanese animated film with a strong fan base in theaters, is expected to hold firmly on to the top spot at the weekend box office.

According to figures released on the 13th by the Korean Box Office Information System, ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island’ drew about 19,000 moviegoers the previous day, claiming the daily box office crown with a 14.3% share of revenue. Its cumulative audience has surpassed 2.825 million, putting it on course to reach the 3 million mark.

In second place was the high-altitude thriller ‘Fall 2: Deadpoint,’ which drew about 18,000 moviegoers and captured a 12.5% share of revenue. Released on the 11th, the film follows a struggle for survival on a 3,300-meter-high cliff on Mount Kwan, where civilian access has been restricted for decades. A sequel continuing the story of ‘Fall’ (2022), it was directed by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, heightening the dramatic tension.

The re-release of ‘La La Land,’ a testament to the enduring box office appeal of classic movie musicals, added about 15,000 moviegoers (11.1%) to settle into third place. Director Kim Jeong-hoon’s psychological suspense film ‘The Final Interview’ followed in fourth with about 12,000 moviegoers, while the action film ‘Heart of Beast’ drew about 9,000 to take fifth place.

The weekend box office picture remains steady, but a major shake-up is brewing in advance ticket sales as next week’s releases converge. As of 9 a.m. on the 13th, singer Lim Young-woong’s ‘Lim Young-woong: I’m Hero the Stadium 2,’ a record of his large-scale stadium concert, was leading overall presales. Ahead of its release on the 18th, it had easily surpassed a 15.9% presale share and 45,000 advance tickets, showing overwhelming box office firepower.

‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island,’ currently in first place, ranked second in presales with a 9.5% share (about 27,000 advance ticket buyers). ‘White Blast,’ a new mystery film by director Hong Eui-jeong also opening in theaters on the 18th, is close behind with a 9.1% share (about 26,000). Starring Kim Yun-seok and Koo Kyo-hwan, ‘White Blast’ is a psychological chamber mystery that unfolds at a remote train station cut off by record snowfall, where a stationmaster nearing retirement and his newly appointed successor encounter a mysterious body.

Director Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic ‘Dune,’ enjoying a boost from its re-release, recorded a 6.4% presale share (about 18,000 people), while ‘The Final Interview,’ holding its place among the box office leaders, posted a 6.1% share (about 17,000). They ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.