Song Kang-Ho 송강호 [“Broker”, “Emergency Declaration”]

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July 26, 2019

 

‘The King’s Letters’ tops box office

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

“The King’s Letters” reached the top spot at local box office on its first day of release, according to the Korean Film Council on Thursday. 

 

The local film outranked foreign films such as “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and “Toy Story 4” which have dominated the local box office for last six weeks. It is the first local film since “Parasite” to be ranked No. 1. 

 

However, the film is facing controversies even after its release. 

 

Some audiences have criticized the movie for distorting history and denying King Sejong’s contribution to the creation of the national letter system hangul. 

 

Meanwhile, the film was cleared of the charge that it had infringed the copyrights of the book “The Way of Hunminjeongeum, Biography of Ven. Hyegak” (2014) by author Park Hae-jin. 

 

The book’s publishing company Nanok filed for an injunction to ban the film from screening on July 2, but the court dismissed the charges as it ruled that the film’s content does not originate from Park’s works. 

 

By Lee Jae-lim

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July 27, 2019

 

HanCinema's Film Review: "The King's Letters"

 

By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net

 

 

In the fairly morbid opening setpiece to "The King's Letters" King Sejong (played by Song Kang-ho) is very grumpily enduring an official ceremony that's being conducted in spoken Chinese, because at this time Korea is still using the Chinese script. Thunderclouds approach and then King Sejong goes home and destroys a bunch of books. In theory, such actions might be intended to make us appreciate King Sejong's passion toward the idea of a Korean script. But in practice? He just looks like a jerk.

In a way that's actually a bit of an accomplishment. Song Kang-ho is the best actor in South Korea, and possibly the entire world, when it comes to portraying relatable everymen. That Song Kang-ho's King Sejong is so unlikable is a testament to just how poorly cast he was in the role. "The King's Letters" is a dour, miserable, and surprisingly nihilistic statement about how developing an alphabet is a joyless, thankless process and how in the end everybody dies anyway so what does it even matter.

 

Spoiler

 

The scenes that actually depict the Korean alphabet being created are the main highlights. The scholarly process is excellent even as it is frequently undignified. We see the monks and the royal family pore over other existing alphabets, developing innovations and making breakthroughs. There's the need for simplistic characters, the underlying motivation for the shapes of the characters, quantities...then we can see small experiments in practice. There's even some neat linguistic lessons about how surprisingly often vowels aren't actually necessary.

 

Unfortunately these scenes are few and far between, because so much of the screentime is focused on King Sejong, and casual conversations that feature casual reference to incidents like where he murdered his wife's entire family. I mean yikes, I really can't overstate just how much of a killjoy King Sejong is here. Most accounts I've read of the historical King Sejong suggest that he was an unusuallly empathetic man by royal standards, yet in "The King's Letters" Song Kang-ho almost never emotes.

 

Well, wait, I guess there is the climax- which has a whole host of bizarre problems. It has nothing to do with the Korean alphabet development which had been the main crux of the plot up until that point. The familial relationships the climax does deal with are underdeveloped. And thanks to real life events the whole thing comes off as horribly ghoulish. Obviously this is not the fault of the production team but it just goes to show how poorly put together this project was that the climax does not flow naturally from the story.

 

 

There are three very different ideas at play in this movie. The first is how the Korean alphabet was developed, the second is the political pressure exerted against the idea of a Korean alphabet, and the third is about King Sejong's family. All of these ideas are completely at odds with each other tonally and crammed together as they are in "The King's Letters" they just combine to make a horribly awkward mess.

 

Review by William Schwartz

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July 29, 2019

 

'King's Letters' director denies history distortion allegation

 

From left, actor Park Hae-il, director Jo Chul-hyun, and actors Jeon Mi-seon and Song Kang-ho pose during a news conference to promote "The King's Letters" at Mega Box Dongdaemun in Seoul, June 25. / Yonhap

 

By Kang Hyun-kyung The Korea Times

 

Jo Chul-hyun, director of "The King's Letters" which deals with the backstory behind the invention of the Korean alphabet_ Hangeul_ denied accusations that his film distorted history.

 

In the film which premiered in local theaters July 24, Buddhist monk Shinmi ― not King Sejong ― is depicted as a key figure behind the creation of the distinctive alphabet.

 

"We never attempted or tried to belittle or downplay King Sejong regarding his role in the creation of the Korean alphabet," Jo said in a statement released on Monday.

 

"Rather, our film has put an emphasis on the process of how the Korean alphabet was created. We tried to dramatize King Sejong's toil, pain and determination to invent Hangeul which came at the expense of his health, particularly later on his life. We focused on portraying him as a pioneering monarch who explored an unprecedented thing and dramatized the way he rose to become a great leader."

 

Jo said his film didn't spotlight the Buddhist monk as a key figure behind the creation of the alphabet. 

 

"To dramatize what was inside King Sejong's mind during the invention of the local alphabet, we needed a character who could personify the King's complex feelings. We learned that there was a Buddhist monk who existed, and met all the conditions. His character was chosen against this backdrop." 

 

Jo said he tried to explain what had been going on before alphabet was unveiled. 
 

Spoiler

"The invention of the Korean alphabet first appeared in December 1443 in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and before that no historical records existed." 

 

He went on to say that the time vacuum convinced him that the Buddhist monk was a probable figure who held the key to the time before and after the invention.

 

His statement came amid criticism that "The King's Letters" is a misleading historical film because it tells a story different from that Koreans are taught. 

 

The role of Ven. Shinmi in the creation of the alphabet has been circulated among Buddhists for centuries. Those who are familiar with this alleged that Jo, who is also a Buddhist, might have wanted to educate the public with the lesser known theory, through the film. 

 

It is not certain whether or not such a backlash played a part in the film's relatively disappointing start. The film has sold 760,000 tickets since last Wednesday when it hit local theaters. "The King's Letters" came in third at the local box office in terms of average daily admissions following "The Lion King" and "Aladdin."

 

"The King's Letters" has faced a triple whammy. 

 

The movie became entangled in an unwanted tragedy weeks before it hit local theaters because of the death of actress Jeon Mi-seon. 

 

Jeon, who played Queen Soheon, the wife of King Sejong, was found dead at a hotel in the southwestern city of Jeonju on June 29. She is believed to have committed suicide because of depression. 

 

In the wake of her death, more bad news came. "The King's Letters" was embroiled in a legal battle. The local publishing house Nanok filed a complaint against the film, requesting the court ban its screening. The publishing house claimed Cho, the production and the distribution companies didn't get a permit to shoot the film based on its book "The Road to Huminjungeum (Korean alphabet): Reviewing Ven. Shinmi." 

 

 

The book revolves around the Buddhist monk who allegedly created the Korean alphabet. The history distortion accusations surfaced after the film was unveiled to the public. 

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr 

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July 30, 2019

 

‘Parasite’ screening stopped in China
 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

Palme-d’Or-winning film “Parasite” was scheduled to screen at the closing ceremony of the FIRST International Film Festival held in Xining, China, on Sunday, but the screening was canceled the day before due to “technical issues,” according to Chinese newspaper Global Times on Monday. 

 

Although festival organizers said it was a sudden cancellation, it is likely that the film was censored by the government due to its obvious depiction of economic disparities between rich and poor. 

 

Global Times also stated that “technical issues” was the excuse most frequently used by the Chinese government when they regulate films and dramas. According to the report, a screening of the Chinese war film “800” was canceled at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival last month, also due to “technical problems.” 

 

By Lee Jae-lim

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August 1, 2019

 

HanCinema's News 

The Unexpected Failure of "The King's Letters"

 

By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net

 

Song Kang-ho has long been considered a major box office draw in South Korea. Only a few months ago he had the leading actor credit on the ten million viewer hit "Parasite".

 

Last year's "Drug King", a low performing film by Song Kang-ho's standards, managed 1.8 million viewers at the box office. But "The King's Letters" is currently set to only make half that amount, having failed to reach number one in its first weekend and now completely pushed aside by "The Divine Fury" and "Exit - Movie".

 

Controversy over the alleged plagiarism did the movie no favors. It was unclear whether "The King's Letters" would be allowed to screen in theaters at all until shortly before its scheduled release. Poor communication by the distribution company over this issue immediately put "The King's Letters" at a disadvantage. But negative response by viewers to the movie's depressing tone firmly prevented a possible rebound.

 

This has created a discouraging situation for Megabox Plus M, which had been expecting at least a 3.5 million viewer response to "The King's Letters". Similarly anemic response to the Kim Nam-gil headlined "The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale" and "Long Live the King" from "The Outlaws" director Kang Yoon-Sung has further weakened the company's position. "Animals That Even Grasp at Straw" with Jung Woo-sung remains their last major hope for the year.

 

Written by William Schwartz

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August 7, 2019

 

"Parasite" to Be Screened at New York Film Festival

 

By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net // 57th NYFF

 

 

"Parasite" has been confirmed to be making an appearance at the New York Film Festival this year. The movie was announced on August 6th to be screened in the festival's closing night section.

The New York Film Festival will be ongoing from September 27th to October 13th. The public American screening will be the first opportunity for "Parasite" to capitalize on the hype from winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in its likely bid for the Best Foreign Film Oscar at the Academy Awards.

 

Domestically "Parasite" grossed over ten million viewers in South Korea earlier this year. The story deals with a poor, but cheerful family that tries to improve their economic outlook by worming their way into being the financial beneficiaries of a rich family.

 

Written by William Schwartz

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August 12, 2019 

 

Song Kang-ho honored with Excellence Award from Swiss film fest

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor Song Kang-ho has been awarded the Excellence Award at this year's Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, the organizers said Tuesday.

 

Song became the first Asian actor to earn the Swiss film fest's special award that goes to actors or actresses whose work and talent have contributed to enriching the cinema industry.

 

Internationally acclaimed silver-screen stars like Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Edward Norton, Bill Pullman and Ethan Hawke are among the past laureates.

 

In this photo by the EPA, South Korean actor Song Kang-ho poses after winning the Excellence Award at the 72nd Locarno International Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland, on Aug. 12, 2019.

"It's an honor to receive this great, meaningful award from the time-honored Locarno Film Festival," Song said in an awards ceremony held Monday (local time) at Palexpo hall in Locarno, Switzerland. "I'm so grateful that this place is filled with traces of many world renowned actors and actresses."

 

Song said he wants to attribute this glory to director Bong Joon-ho, who chose him in a number of acclaimed films, including the Cannes-winning "Parasite" and "Memories of Murder."

 

"Recalling my 30-year-long career as an actor, it's a truly honorable time. I've worked with great Korean auteurs, including Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon," he said. "In particular, I want to give this trophy to Bong Joon-ho, who is my longtime friend and the greatest and proudest artist in South Korea."

 

Bong, who became the first South Korean film director to win the highest Palme d'Or prize with the comedy satire "Parasite" at the Cannes Film Festival in May, thanked the actor for being with him.

 

"We've made four films together. I wouldn't have made them without Song. I really appreciate his contribution," the director said.

 

Making his cinema debut with "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" in 1996, the 52-year-old Song rose to international stardom with a series of critically acclaimed works and box-office hits, including "Joint Security Area" (2000), "Memories of Murder" (2003), "The Host" (2006) and "Snowpiercer" (2013).

 

brk@yna.co.kr

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August 13, 2019

 

Song Kang Ho Shines As 1st Asian Actor To Receive Locarno International Film Festival’s Excellence Award

Source: Soompi by U. Kim

 

Song Kang Ho is the first Asian actor to receive the Excellence Award at the Locarno International Film Festival!

 

The 2019 Locarno International Film Festival was held on August 12 at 9:30 p.m. local time at the Palexpo in Locarno, Switzerland.

 

The awards ceremony began with a three-minute introductory video of Song Kang Ho’s representative works, after which the actor himself appeared and shared a brief conversation with the ceremony’s Artistic Director Lili Hinstin.

 

When Song Kang Ho was handed the trophy for the Excellence Award, he gave the following speech:

 

“Thank you. I am very happy and honored to receive this grand and meaningful award at the historic and beautiful Locarno. I am especially thrilled because this is the place many of the world’s best actors that I respect greatly have set foot in. I hope that this special moment will comfort, encourage, and touch the many artists who are burning with passion and taking on the hardships of this path all around the world.”

 

Director Bong Joon Ho, who cast Song Kang Ho in his famous films “Memories of Murder,” “The Host,” “Snowpiercer,” and “Parasite,” was present at the ceremony. Song Kang Ho addressed to the director, “I dedicate this award to South Korea’s great director Bong Joon Ho who is also forever my companion and friend.” Bong Joon Ho was handed the microphone, and he responded, “I would not have been able to complete the four movies I worked on with Song Kang Ho if it wasn’t for him, so I’m very thankful. I truly congratulate you on receiving the award.”

 

Below are photos from the ceremony that were uploaded to Song Kang Ho’s agency’s official Instagram account:

 

Source (1)

 

Photo Credit: HODU&UEntertainment

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Published on August 13, 2019 by ARIRANG NEWS

 

Song Kang-ho becomes first Asian actor to receive 'Excellence Award' from Swiss film festival
 

 

S. Korean actor Song Kang-ho receives Locarno excellence award for first time as Asian artist

Park Sae-jin Reporter(swatchsjp@ajunews.com) | Aju Business Daily

 

SEOUL -- Song Kang Ho, a South Korean actor who recently played the main role in Palme d'Or winner "Parasite", was given Locarno International Film Festival's excellence award for lifetime achievement for the first time as an Asian artist.

 

The 52-year-old, who is recognized for his acting career at home and overseas, was honored with the excellence award at Locarno International Film Festival held in Switzerland on August 12 (local time). Previously, world-famous actors such as John Malkovich, Edward Norton and Ethan Hawke were given the award.

 

"Looking back on the past 30 years as an actor, it was an undeservedly glorious process." the actor told audience after he received the award. Song also said, "I am happy and honored to receive a meaningful and great award in the beautiful Locarno, where tradition and history run deep."

 

The veteran actor is often seen as the persona of world-famous film director Bong Joon-ho. Song expressed gratitude toward the director by saying: "I wish to dedicate this award to director Bong Joon-ho, who is my eternal comrade, friend and a great artist who represents South Korea."

 

Song played the father of a lower-class family in Parasite, coloring tragic and horrible scenes with a touch of comedy. The black comedy film was given the grand award at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May.

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August 14, 2019

 

Song Kang-ho Wins Excellence Award at Locarno Film Festival

 

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

 

Actor Song Kang-ho received the Excellence Award at this year's Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland on Monday, becoming the first Asian actor to earn the honor.

 

The award is given to internationally acclaimed actors who have enriched the cinema with their work and talent.

 

Song Kang-ho poses with the Excellence Award trophy at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland on Monday. /Yonhap

In his acceptance speech, Song said, "Thank you. I'm happy and honored to receive this great and meaningful award at the prestigious, beautiful Locarno. I'm all the more grateful, as this is the place where many of the world's best actors that I have admired left their traces."

 

Song added, "When I recall my 30-year career as an actor, it has been truly an honor to have been able to work with great directors. I'd like to give my thanks and respect to Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon."

 

He expressed special thanks to director Bong Joon-ho, who attended the awards ceremony. "I dedicate this trophy to director Bong Joon-ho, my friend and comrade," he said.

 

Some of Song's hit films, including "Memories of Murder," "The Foul King," "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" and "Parasite," have been screened at the festival, which ends its 10-day run on Saturday.

 

Previous recipients of the Excellence Award include Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Isabelle Huppert and Ethan Hawke.

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August 14, 2019

 

Song Kang-ho honored at film fest

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

 

Actor Song Kang-ho received the Excellence Award at the 72nd Locarno International Film Festival on Monday in Switzerland, becoming the first Asian actor to do so.

 

The prestigious Swiss film event was held at Palexpo Hall in Locarno. 

 

Last year’s award went to Ethan Hawke, and acclaimed actors such as Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Edward Norton and Bill Pullman have also clutched the prize.

 

“I’m so flattered to receive an award with such tradition and beautiful history,” Song said. “I hope that this special moment can also encourage and console all the struggling artists following their passion.”

 

Director Bong Joon-ho also attended the ceremony with Song.

 

“I also give the honor of this award to Bong, who came to accompany me on this event and who will always be my companion.” 

 

Before the actor received the award, a three-minute clip showing Song’s works, including “The Foul King” (2000), “Secret Sunshine” (2007), “Sympathy for Mr. Vengence” (2002), “The Host” (2006) and “Snowpiercer” (2013), was shown.

 

When asked about what motivated him to become an actor, Song replied, “There were various influences in my life, but the most striking one had to be growing up watching Steve McQueen films. That’s when I started dreaming of becoming an actor one day.”

 

By Lee Jae-lim

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MIRYANG (SECRET SUNSHINE) Art by siki__sik

 

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An art by Choi_choco based on the cool HighCut image of SKH & LBH last year..

 

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Source: Pierce Conran

 

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August 22, 2019

 

'Parasite' selected as S. Korea's Oscar contender

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- The Cannes-winning film "Parasite" by renowned auteur Bong Joon-ho has been selected as South Korea's entry to the best international feature film category at the upcoming Academy Awards.

 

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) said Thursday that it picked Bong's black comedy film to compete for an Oscar nomination for best foreign film next year.

 

The state-run council said it chose "Parasite" for its Palme d'Or achievement at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the worldwide reputation of director Bong Joon-ho and its artistic and cinematic quality.

 

For the non-English movie category, each country submits a single film as their official representative, and the movies vie for five berths. But no Korean film has been nominated to the academy's international prize section so far.

 

"Parasite" is director Bong Joon-ho's seventh feature film and follows his English-language films "Snowpiercer" (2013) and "Okja" (2017). The new flick revolves around two families, one rich and one poor, who become entangled, leading to a series of unexpected violent mishaps.

 

It has been at the center of Oscar buzz for months as its North American distributor, Neon, set its U.S. release date for Oct. 11 in an apparent move to position the flick as a major contender in the international film category of the 92nd Academy Awards slated for Feb. 9.

 

The final nominations for the 2020 Academy Awards will be announced in January.

brk@yna.co.kr

 

 ‘Parasite’ to be submitted to Oscars

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August 24, 2019

 

August Movie Star Brand Reputation Rankings Announced

Source: Soompi by E. Cha

 

The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed this month’s brand reputation rankings for film actors!

 

The rankings were determined through an analysis of the consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community awareness indexes of 50 popular movie stars, using big data collected from July 22 to August 23.

 

Jo Jung Suk, the star of the hit disaster film “E.X.I.T,” topped this month’s list with a brand reputation index of 8,445,931. High-ranking phrases in the actor’s keyword analysis included “E.X.I.T,” “Gummy,” and “YoonA,” while his highest-ranking related terms included “happy,” “thankful,” and “refreshing.”

 

Park So Dam, who recently starred in director Bong Joon Ho’s award-winning film “Parasite,” rose to second place in the rankings with a brand reputation index of 6,806,981 this month.

 

Finally, Park Seo Joon, the star of the supernatural action thriller “The Divine Fury,” came in at third for the month with a total score of 5,314,792 for August.

 

Check out this month’s top 30 below!

 

1. Jo Jung Suk
2. Park So Dam
3. Park Seo Joon
4. Ryu Jun Yeol
5. Lee Byung Hun
6. Yum Jung Ah
7. Han Ji Min
8. Lee Seo Jin
9. Yoo Hae Jin
10. Son Hyun Joo
11. Yeo Jin Goo
12. Ma Dong Seok
13. Kim Hyang Gi
14. Lee Jong Suk
15. Lee Jung Eun
16. Jung Woo
17. Kim Ji Young
18. Park Sung Woong
19. Song Seung Heon
20. Bae Sung Woo
21. Gong Yoo
22. Sung Dong Il
23. Kim Nam Gil
24. Jo Woo Jin
25. Kim Seul Gi
26. Jo Jin Woong
27. Choi Yoo Hwa
28. Lee Ji Hoon
29. Song Kang Ho
30. Lee El

Source (1)

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Source: CINE21

 

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Awesome news! Thanks so much to @mistymorning at LBH@soompi for the new movie highlight and translation ~

 

August 29, 2019

 

Song Gang-Ho x Lee Byung-hun 4th movie together, with director Han Jae-Rim

 

Source: SBS NEWS

 

 

Actor Song Gang-Ho and Lee Byung-Hun will meet again in the new film from director Han Jae-Rim, titled 'Emergency Declaration' (Production: WooJoo Film, Co-Production: C-Jes Entertainment, CineJoo).

 

'Emergency Declaration' is air traffic term when during a flight, pilot encounters a distress condition which makes it impossible to fly anymore, declares emergency and let land control knows the plane needs to land immediately. This movie will be an air disaster drama , with high tension and colorful characters.

 

Director Han Jae-Rim debuted his first movie 'Rules of Dating' won  2005 Dae-Jong Award for new director and Blue Dragon Award for script, became hot star director in Korean Film.

 

His next movie 'The Show Must Go On'(2007), a noir film won another Blue Dragon Award for the best movie, and with the film 'The Face Reader' showed his satire and sensual directing skills. Film 'The King' made people to call him 'The best story teller', with various filming methods and cheerful stories with deeper meanings. 

 

.... skipping.. 

 

This meeting of Song Gangho, The most trust-worthy(to watch) actor in Korea, after the movie 'Parasite' which won Palme d'Or in Cannes Film Festival and 4th 10M movies, and Lee ByungHun, certified best actor, with Hollywood movies and loved for best acting in both films and TVs raises our expectation to the new level.

 

This is 4th project they work together after 'Joint Security Area'(2000), 'The Good, the Bad and the Weird'(2008), 'The Age of Shadows'(2016). Fresh material and trust for director Han Jae-Rim made this possible.

 

The movie is scheduled for pre-production this year and will crank-in early next year.

[rubie]

August 29, 2019

 

Song Kang Ho And Lee Byung Hun Confirmed To Reunite For New Disaster Film

Source: Soompi by L. Kim

 

Actors Song Kang Ho and Lee Byung Hun are confirmed to star in a new movie together!

 

“Emergency Declaration” (literal translation) is a term used in aviation that means to declare an emergency to make a landing when an aircraft is faced with a disastrous situation and normal operation is no longer possible due to the captain’s judgment. The movie, which is about an aviation disaster, is a full-fledged air disaster film that features a tense story and diverse characters.

 

Director Han Jae Rim will be producing the film. He was awarded the Best New Director Award and the Best Screenplay Award at the Blue Dragon Film Festival in 2005 for “Rules of Dating,” drawing attention from the film industry during the same time he made his directorial debut. Since then, he has opened up new prospects with the noir film “The Show Must Go On,” won the best picture award at the Blue Dragon Film Festival for his satire and sensual production in “The Face Reader,” and earned the title of “best storyteller” for delivering a vibrant story through various film techniques and deep messages in “The King.”

 

This is the fourth time Song Kang Ho and Lee Byung Hun will be working together, and expectations are high for the veteran actors’ performances.

 

“Emergency Declaration” is scheduled to complete pre-production this year and premiere in the first half of next year.

 

Source (1)

 

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August 29, 2019

 

No mega-hits at S. Korean summer box office for first time in 6 yrs

By Kim Boram

 

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's box office is expected to receive the worst score for the summer peak season in six years, as no film will probably post more than 10 million admissions.

 

Since 2014, at least one flick has reached the 10 million milestone in ticket sales in South Korea every summer, considered a huge box-office success in a country with a population of about 52 million.

 

The Korean historical movie "Roaring Currents," released July 30, 2014, started the five-year streak with a record 17.6 million admissions, followed by the action comedy "Veteran" and espionage action film "Assassination" next year.

 

"Train to Busan," a zombie action thriller, joined the 10 million club in 2016, while the historical drama "A Taxi Driver" also achieved the feat in 2017.

 

Last year, the fantasy adventure "Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days" also sold more than 10 million tickets in the summer.

 

In 2019, however, no summer blockbusters, released between end-July and early-August to target summer vacationers, have surpassed the threshold.

The action comedy "Exit," which premiered July 31, had attracted 8.57 million people as of Wednesday but is predicted to fail to reach 10 million admissions due to its slowed daily ticket sale pace. The movie, starring Jo Jung-suk and Im Yoon-ah, is about an unemployed guy's adventure to escape from a disaster-hit Seoul. It topped the summer box office thanks to its well-rounded story and balanced humor.

 

Released Aug. 7, "The Battle: Roar to Victory," a historical action movie about an independent battle against the Japanese military, placed runner-up with 4.6 million admissions to meet the break-even point.

 

But two other summer tent poles -- the historical drama "The King's Letters" and the horror film "The Divine Fury" -- failed to win the hearts of local film buffs and logged fewer than 1 million and 1.6 million admissions, respectively.

 

As a result, total admissions in August have dropped sharply from a year ago.

 

According to data compiled by the Korean Film Council, a total of 23.3 million people have gone to theaters during the first 28 days of August, down from 30.3 million tallied in all of August in 2018.

 

Moreover, the sluggish summer box-office results compare with remarkable successes in the first half, when South Korean moviegoers flocked to see four mega-hit films -- the comedy film "Extreme Job," Marvel's "Avengers: Endgame," Walt Disney's live-action film "Aladdin" and the Cannes-winning Korean satire "Parasite."

 

"There were no clearly outstanding movies that attracted more and more people to the cinema, unlike in the spring season," said Hwang Jae-hyeon from CJ CGV, the largest multiplex theater chain in Korea. "And people think it is hard to pick one among four mediocre summer-targeting movies."

 

brk@yna.co.kr