[Movie 2019-2020] Ashfall / Baekdusan, 백두산 - No Option For Failure

[rubie]

2019.12.20 ASHFALL at # 1 Korean Box Office  

F I G H T I N G ! 

 

Source: KoBiz

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

“The Composition X Story X CG The Perfect Harmony!” 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

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Clip: CGV Cinemas USA

 

“Both Koreas will be wiped out if we don’t stop the eruption”. 
Starring Lee Byung-Hun, Ha Jung-Woo, Ma Dong-Seok, Jeon Hye-Jin and Bae Suzy, “Ashfall” is opening at CGV this weekend!

 

[rubie]

December 21, 2019

 

 ASHFALL Exceeds 1 Million Audience Admission

 

 

Clip: CJ Entertainment

 

Your  Energy received!

Baekdusan With explosive SPEED

One million exceeded!

From team ASHFALL Get a Hot Heart Gift

 

“Ashfall” Starring Lee Byung Hun, Suzy, And More Surpasses 1 Million Moviegoers

Source: Soompi by R. Jun

“Ashfall,” starring Lee Byung Hun, Suzy, Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok, and Jeon Hye Jin, has already surpassed 1 million moviegoers!

 

 

“Ashfall” follows what happens after a volcano on Mount Baekdu erupts, leading to pandemonium from fear of a final eruption that could wipe out both North and South Korea. A team of people set out to stop the terrible disaster from happening.

 

The film, which premiered on December 19, hit the 1 million mark on December 21, its third day in theaters. It’s on pace with “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds,” which went on to record a total of 14.41 million moviegoers, and “Extreme Job,” which recorded a total of 16.26 million.

 

To celebrate the milestone, the cast of “Ashfall” thanked viewers with a video:

 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Ashfall”!

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

December 21, 2019

 

ASHFALL Cast at Stage Greeting session

 

Source: CJ Enterainment

 

 

 

 

 

[lu09]

Wow, that's amazing.....  Does anyone know when they are gonna release this movie in North America?

[rubie]

1 hour ago, lu09 said:

Wow, that's amazing.....  Does anyone know when they are gonna release this movie in North America?

 

Hi @lu09, good to see you here & welcome to the thread. So far, we've not seen any dates for the North American release.. only in selected US cities through the CGV cinemas. But don't worry as there will be more dates+locations (from 90 countries) announced soon as we go into the new year. We'll be sure to share more info whenever available.

 

In the meantime, here's the list of those that have been confirmed through media updates and cinema websites.

 

December 19, 2019: South Korea

December 20, 2019: USA

December 24, 2019: Taiwan

January 1, 2020: Hong Kong

January 2, 2020: Singapore

January 2, 2020: Malaysia

January 2, 2020: Brunei

January 8, 2020: Indonesia

January 9, 2020: Thailand

January 9, 2020: Australia

January 16, 2020: Vietnam (1/31)

February 4, 2020: Cambodia

 

TBA: Germany, New Zealand, Turkey.

 

February 20, 2020: 70th Berlinale

 

 12/21 Some more pics from today's stage greeting as the cast and directors meet the audience at various cinemas showing ASHFALL. They're moving non-stop to meet and greet the fans at a lot of places, thanking them for the 1.6 million admission achieved today.

 

Photos: CJ Entertainment

 

 

 

Clip: 2kyungju

 

[lu09]

@rubie Good to see you too. Thanks for the information. Considering the fact that the movie is success, they will likely air it in Canada. Hopefully lol...

 

Have a good weekend.

[rubie]

 2019.12.21 ASHFALL at # 1 Korean Box Office with 1.6 million audience admission.

 

Source: KoBiz

 

 

Source: Encore Films @EncoreFilms
·
Great news! Ashfall has crossed over 1 million admissions in Korea on its 2nd day of opening!

 

The biggest Korean disaster blockbuster ever! Staring Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok a.k.a. Don Lee, Jeon Hye Jin, Bae Su Zy!

 

 

Published on December 20, 2019 by BH Entertainment

 

Lee Byung Hun ASHFALL Poster Shoot

 

 

[rubie]

2019/12/22 : ASHFALL on a roll!

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

"Material x Scale x Character - three perfect beat"

 

Baekdusan 2 million viewers exceeded!

 

 

“Ashfall” Surpasses 2 Million Moviegoers In Impressive Time

Source: Soompi by L. Kim

New film “Ashfall” has achieved another impressive feat!

 

On December 22 at 11 a.m. KST, “Ashfall” officially

surpassed 2 million moviegoers, taking just four days to reach the milestone. Notably, the film had just reached 1 million moviegoers just the day before.

 

“Ashfall” has hit the 2 million milestone at almost same pace as the box office hits “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” and “Extreme Job.”

 

“Ashfall” follows what happens after a volcano on Mount Baekdu erupts, leading to pandemonium over fear of a final eruption that could wipe out both North and South Korea. A team of people set out to stop the terrible disaster from happening. It was released in theaters in Korea on December 19.

 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Ashfall”!

 

Source (1)

 

12/22 ASHFALL Stage Greet & Meet the Audience

 

Clips credit: shin_yongsong // jeon_jihye89 // m_zasui

 

[rubie]

December 22, 2019

 

Yonhap Interview

Lee Byung-hun confident about his choice of entertaining disaster movie

By Kim Boram

 

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Since his big and small screen debuts in the 1990s, Lee Byung-hun has had dozens of Korean films and dramas to his credit and appeared in a few Hollywood productions.

 

With many ups and downs in his near 30-year career, he has been critically acclaimed for his work in a wide range of genres and characters, especially in crime films "A Bittersweet Life" (2005) and "Inside Men" (2015) and period TV series "Mr. Sunshine" (2018).

 

In his latest disaster blockbuster "Ashfall," the veteran actor's reputation stands out again and measures up to the expectations of film buffs.

 

"It's a typical disaster movie, like a Hollywood-style blockbuster, filled with clichés, and a predictable ending," Lee said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday. "Nevertheless, it has something different."

 

The flick, which was released on Thursday, is about a fictional eruption of Mount Paekdu, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula and an active volcano on the Chinese-North Korean border.

 

It is the first disaster movie that the veteran actor has participated in throughout his decadeslong silver screen career. For this movie, Lee, who has more than 30 movies in his filmography, learned North Korean accents and even Chinese and Russian.

 

His character, Lee Joon-pyeong, a North Korean intellectual agent who once spied for the South, teams up with Jo In-chang (Ha Jung-woo), the captain of an explosive ordnance disposal team. They start a journey to the active volcano carrying a nuclear explosive at full throttle in order to stop the imminent eruption.

 

Lee displays his acting originality in the many-faceted personality of Joon-pyeong. He makes silly jokes with airs and grace and wears a deceitful smile to In-chang, while also being an anxious father of an aphasic daughter.

 

"Joon-pyeong never presents his emotions and past history in front of In-chang and his teammates," Lee said. "But there are scenes in which he has to show his hidden family history to the audience. I think this makes Joon-pyeong look more appealing."

 

Moreover, he said the deepening relationship between Joon-pyeong and In-chang is the pivot of the storyline. They get along as poorly as cats and dogs but recognize that they need each other to achieve the goal. The two actors' on-screen chemistry, although it is the first time that the two have starred in the same film, works here.

 

"It's unusual to see the combination of a disaster movie and a buddy film. It appealed to me a lot," Lee said. "I joyfully looked forward to starring in this buddy film with Ha."

 

He also praised the film's quality computer-generated visual effects of the volcanic explosion and urban destruction, which make the disaster more realistic and valid.

 

Dexter Studios, a leading visual effects production house in South Korea, reportedly spent an estimated 26 billion won (US$22.3 million) for the breathtaking visual effects of the volcanic explosion and urban destruction.

 

He said he will be satisfied if audiences feel interested and pleased after watching "Ashfall" because of his performance, the ensemble of star actors or the lifelike computer-generated visual effects.

 

"A movie should be entertaining and enjoyable. Entertainment comes from many things like humor, emotion, action scenes or spectacular visual effects," he said. "I like my movie, and I hope the audience will feel the same."

 

brk@yna.co.kr

 

Clip: alatus_deus

 

[rubie]

Sunday 12/22 ASHFALL Stage Meet & Greet

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

 

 

 

December 22, 2019

 

Actor Lee Byung-hun says 'fantasy is what makes us watch film'

 

By Jung Hae-myoung The Korea Times

 

Actor Lee Byung-hun came back with a new film "Ashfall" ― also known as "Baekdusan" in Korea ― after a year hiatus. On Thursday, Lee met with several media at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to talk about the behind scenes of the film and his perspective on acting.

 

The film "Ashfall" revolves around a fictional catastrophic situation in which Mount Baekdu explodes. Lee takes on the role of Rhee Jun-pyung, a North Korean double agent who is imprisoned after his identity was disclosed by his wife. He takes part in a secret plan with EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) agent Cho In-chang (played by Ha Jung-woo).

 

"I like how the character Rhee Jun-pyung did not share any interests with any party. He was not on any side, neither North nor South, communism nor capitalism. He was only acting for himself, and that's what made me choose this role," Lee said.

 

"At first, it felt burdensome to speak with a North Korean dialect from beginning to end, but there was a teacher who taught me along the say so it wasn't as concerning as I thought it would be," he said.

 

Dialects aside, regarding what he focused on the most preparing for the character, he said: "As it is shown from the beginning, Rhee is a very ambiguous character, and that was the most attractive part. At one point he is very on edge, very chill in other parts, and sometimes very scary."

 

Trying to stop the mountain exploding may seem an absurd concept to some, but Lee said that is one of the reasons that people go to see a film.

 

"When selecting a film, I try to see the whole story rather than choosing it for the role. This film sure has some unbelievable parts, but I think that imagination and fantasy is what makes us watch films. Although realistic films almost like documentaries, are charming, I think fantasy is why people still go to the theater. In the end we are trying to experience something through other people's experience," Lee said.

 

On whether there was any competition with fellow actor Ha Jung-woo, who is also a top actor in in Korea, Lee said: "I think competing with fellow actors is dangerous. Rather there is more synergy when the fellow actor is better than me because they will give me motivation to do better. I believe the synergy between the two actors is passed on to the audience, giving them a better experience of watching film. The audience does not enjoy a film if one actor is better than the other."

 

Lee has experienced Hollywood film sets as well.

"In Korea they are faster in terms of changing certain aspects during filming. The actors can ad-lib and change some scenes under the director's guidance. But it is harder to do that in Hollywood. In terms of quick reactions I think it may be the driving force for Korean films to improve," Lee said. "Although Hollywood is not quick regarding change, they are more precise during preproduction stage, and more precisely on schedule."

 

Lee debuted in 1991 through KBS open recruitment, and since then he has been working in TV and film productions, building his acting career through various roles for over 28 years.

 

"There are some fun and stressful moments, but I try to enjoy it rather than stress about what I am doing," Lee said. "I think it is different every time. Sometimes I feel so good after filming one good scene, and the other I feel down when my feelings don't seem to portray well on the screen."

 

"Ashfall" was released Friday, and more than a million people have watched the film four days after it was released.

hmjung@koreatimes.co.kr 

 

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[rubie]

2019.12.22 ASHFALL at # 1 Korean Box Office with 2.4 million audience admission.

Source: KoBiz

 

 

Source: Encore Films @EncoreFilms

 

Going strong! After opening for just three days, audience numbers for Ashfall has hit 2 Million!

 

Biggest Korean disaster blockbuster ever! Staring Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok, Jeon Hye Jin, Bae Su Zy, #Ashfall hits cinemas on 2 Jan 2020!

 

[rubie]

December 23, 2019

 

Yonhap Interview

Actor Ha Jung-woo faces 'unprecedented mission' in new disaster movie

By Kim Boram

 

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- In the 2016 South Korean survival movie "The Tunnel," actor Ha Jung-woo played a car salesman who gets trapped in a collapsed tunnel and tries to survive under tons of concrete and debris.

 

Two years later, in political action thriller "Take Point," he took on the role of captain of an international crack team carrying out a secret operation in a bunker under the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas.

 

In his latest movie, "Ashfall," a big-budget disaster movie about an impending explosion of Mount Paekdu starring Ha and Lee Byung-hun, the actor has to deal with an even worse situation -- preventing a catastrophic eruption of the volcano at the northern end of the Korean Peninsula.

 

This photo provided by CJ Entertainment shows actor Ha Jung-woo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"It is a typical disaster movie, in that we can predict the entire storyline," Ha Jung-woo said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday. "But the cast and crew tried to create new characters that are not typical in a disaster-stricken situation."

 

In the Hollywood-esque disaster movie, Ha plays the role of In-chang, captain of a South Korean ordnance disposal team. He has to join hands with North Korean double agent Joon-pyeong, played by Lee Byung-hun, to stop the imminent eruption of the volcano, which is expected to blow up the entire peninsula.

 

Released on Thursday, "Ashfall" is one of the most anticipated films of the winter vacation season for its massive production budget and the collaboration of big-name stars Ha and Lee. The movie's outstanding computer-generated visual effects by Dexter Studios, which was behind the smash hit movie series "Along With the Gods," has also generated some buzz.

 

To make the story and characters more multilayered and unpredictable, Ha said he and Lee tried to add more comedy to the movie. He gives a spontaneous portrayal of a military official who never forgets to be amusing in a life-or-death situation.

 

"In the original screenplay, the two characters were more serious and monotonous," he said. "At the start of filming, we removed most of those serious parts and stressed their humorous and witty aspects."

 

In-chang is the skittish and clumsy leader of the special team and keeps complaining about his mission, while Joon-pyeong is so charismatic and smart that he deceives In-chang a couple of times on their way to Mount Paekdu. The duo's relationship leads the storyline until the end of the film.

 

"The two characters are the nitty-gritty of our movie. Joon-pyeong is a perfect cinematic person, but In-chang isn't," he said. "I thought if we could act the two characters in harmony, the movie could be intriguing and entertaining."

 

Ha is one of the most bankable actors in South Korea, with films he's starred in having sold more than 100 million tickets. Three of his films, "Assassination" (2015), "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds" (2017) and "Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days" (2018), have exceeded the 10 million threshold, considered a huge box-office success in a country with a population of about 52 million.

 

But Ha still wants to participate in independent films. He has produced a couple of low-budget films, including "Single Rider" in 2017, and hopes to give chances to hidden up-and-coming filmmakers.

 

His next project, horror film "Closet," the directorial debut of Kim Kwang-bin, is part of his low-budget lineup.

 

"I'm really eager to do an indie film, but it's hard to find a well-written script," he said. "So sometimes I consider making one by myself."

 

brk@yna.co.kr

 

Clip:  츠유리 @CIGDRL

[rubie]

December 22, 2019

 

Korean Box Office for the Weekend 2019.12.10 ~ 2019.12.22

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

December 21, 2019

 

HanCinema's Film Review: "Ashfall"

 

Back By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net

 

The opening scenes to "Ashfall" move fast. Military tough guy In-chang (played by Ha Jung-woo) is stuck in traffic while his wife Ji-yeong (played by Suzy) visits the obstetrician alone. Out of nowhere a massive earthquake hits. The Seoul cityscape is ripped apart in glorious fashion. Then government manager Yoo-kyeong (played by Jeon Hye-jin-III) pressures geologist Bong-rae (played by Ma Dong-seok) to come up with a generally bonkers plan to use North Korean nuclear weapons to prevent the remaining devastating aftershocks.

 

At that point "Ashfall" abruptly and bizarrely turns into a completely different kind of movie. You'd think setting off a nuke underneath an erupting volcano would be a challenging enough task on its own, but instead In-chang and his borderline incompetent team of special operatives end up spending most of the movie getting into gunfights with three different armies. By the time they get to the titular Mt. Baekdu, the danger of flying volcanic rock chunks seems like a total afterthought.

 

The beforethought being a deeply creepy road trip wherein In-chang surveys post-apocalyptic North Korea. None of the actual characters are quite so crass as to fondly remark that it's fortunate the North Korean regime was apparently destroyed without South Koreans needing to get their hands dirty. Yet the film's directing unavoidably makes this implication. Matters are not helped by the token North Korean character Joon-pyeong (played by Lee Byung-hun) acting like a generally untrustworthy and dangerous psycho even as he inadvertently repeatedly saves the lives of his South Korean counterparts.

 

"Ashfall" inspires so little confidence in the ability of the military strike team or the government to do anything right that at times the movie almost feels like a satire. Unfortunately, the overbearing musical cues make it very clear that moments of intentional comic relief are few and far between. Generally pointless betrayals that do nothing but artifically extend the movie's running time pop up every twenty minutes or so, accomplishing nothing but encouraging me to ask myself, when are they going to get to the volcano?

 

The most discouraging part of "Ashfall" is that the effects are genuinely excellent and in a theater environment, even scary. The sense of constant foreboding horrific doom on the bridge scene is another great moment, even it ends with a cheat by not showing us how the relevant main character managed to escape the car. And on that note, it's not at all clear to me why the casting department felt the need to cast four major stars here, given how everyone save for Ha Jung-woo and Lee Byung-hun is completely superfluous.

 

Not that Ha Jung-woo or Lee Byung-hun are necessarily any more integral here. "Ashfall" is a few extremely strong scenes of pure destructive special effects spectacle sandwiching very long very boring stretches of its characters running around in circles, sometimes quite literally, in order to avoid actually solving the main conflict. While obvious clichés alone would be forgivable, atrocious editing and an overly long running time turn "Ashfall" into a disaster of a disaster movie.

 

Review by William Schwartz

[rubie]

December 23, 2019

 

INTERVIEW: Ha Jung-woo multitasks as actor, producer in disaster film 'Ashfall'

 

Actor Ha Jung-woo took the lead role and co-produced the new disaster film "Ashfall," which is set during a fictional volcanic eruption of Mount Paektu. Courtesy of CJ ENM

By Lee Gyu-lee The Korea Times

 

When it comes to filmmaking, actor Ha Jung-woo has a handful of duties around the set beyond just acting.

 

Known for his macho, masculine roles in "Take Point" (2018) and "Along with the Gods" (2017), the 42-year-old has been widening his duties in the film industry as producer and director. He made his directorial debut in 2013 with comedy flick "Fasten Your Seatbelt" and has produced numerous films including "A Single Rider" (2016).

 

This time, the actor took on the roles of a hero against impending catastrophe and a co-producer for the disaster action film "Ashfall," which premiered last Thursday.

 

The film is set in a fictional disaster where volcanic Mount Paektu, located on the North Korea-China border, is about to erupt.

 

Noting that disaster film scripts usually catch his eye, the actor expressed that he was drawn to this film in particular because the story was about an existing active volcanic.

 

"The topic of the disaster itself was plausible since it has been brought up in Korea previously. And to put it in a film with cinematic imagination sounded very interesting," Ha said during the interview with The Korea Times, Friday, at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.

 

"Especially, Mount Paektu is not a place where you can visit easily, so I felt there would be more stories to it and felt more drawn."

 

The story revolves around explosive disposal specialist Cho In-chang (Ha) on a mission to stop the imminent explosion with the help of North Korean double agent Rhee Jun-pyung (Lee Byung-hun) who has been imprisoned in North Korea.

 

Ha said he wanted badly for Lee to take the role from the start. He sent the script to Lee, who was shooting the hit drama "Mr. Sunshine" at the time, and made a personal call to make sure he read it.

 

"I wanted to work with him, in anything honestly," the actor said. "So, I was looking for ways to work together. Then, I found out about the Ashfall project and contacted him first."

 

Adding that Lee was the right person to share the burden of leading a film, Ha expressed the chemistry between the two worked out very well, especially with Lee's passionate energy in acting.

 

A scene from the film showing agent Cho In-chang (Ha) with North Korean double agent Rhee Jun-pyung (Lee Byung-hun). Courtesy of CJ ENM

 

As he noted, the two lead the film with a cat-and-mouse relationship between the secretive North Korean and South Korean agents forming a borderless, risky friendship as they travel towards Mount Paektu for their own goals.

 

However, the film puts much emphasis on the two characters' relationship, touching on a sense of humor as they throw jokes at each other, and the emotion as they share stories of their personal lives. As the film is set while a volcanic eruption is imminent, some reporters raised questions about whether it is appropriate to put such emphasis on their inner lives.

 

When asked, the actor answered that this was much needed, and what made this film realistic.

 

"Being in fear for 24 hours is not going to solve the catastrophe. People might adapt in the situation as time pass," he said. "So I think a person can make jokes to another who's terrified just like you to try shaking off that fear a little."

 

With over 40 films in his filmography, the actor is relentless in taking part in films. Another film "Closet" that he produced and starred in is set to hit theaters beginning next year.

 

He has been shooting the film "Boston 1947" since September and is scheduled to start shooting another film he is also producing in March.

 

For reasons he continues to expand his work beyond just acting, he said he hopes to express more freely and breathe life into his art.

 

"As an actor, I appear in tent-pole movies. But as a producer-director, I feel like working on low-budget films filled with wit and imagination, which came as I straightened my identity as a director this year," he said.

 

Regarding the driving force behind his endless efforts, he noted it is his love for films. "I'm thankful to live as an actor and to take part in making films. And that appreciation and affection allowed me to be here to this day," he said. "Of course I hit bumps and hurdles along the way, but I'm glad I still get to be in this field."

 

About 16 years since his debut with "Madeleine" (2003), the actor feels he has more responsibilities as one of the experienced actors on set.

 

"At one point, I started to feel I've become one of the more experienced actors on set," he said. "And I started to feel how my actions and attitude would affect others, and how I should set an example and take responsibility by working more fittingly."

 

He added that he continues to seek to progress as a filmmaker and an actor.

"I hope next year is better than this year and hope this work will be better than the previous one. Not in terms of box office scores, but in expressing and interpreting (characters) as an actor," he said.

 

"Ashfall" has sold 2 million tickets as of Monday.

gyulee@koreatimes.co.kr 

 

CJ Entertainment

[rubie]

December 24, 2019

 

Korean Box Office: ‘Ashfall’ ends reign of ‘Frozen 2’ and debuts atop the box office

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

“Ashfall” shoots to No. 1 during its debut weekend, knocking “Frozen 2” from its throne atop the local box office after a monthlong reign. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]

“Frozen 2” ended its monthlong reign of the box office and was leapfrogged by local films “Ashfall” and “Start-Up” over the weekend.

 

“Ashfall” climbed to the top of the box office with two million moviegoers seeing the blockbuster over the weekend at a total of 1,971 screens. The film raises the question of what would happen if one day the dormant Mount Paektu explodes again. Korean EOD lieutenant Jo In-chang (played by Ha Jung-woo) must lead his team to the impending volcano and set up a nuclear bomb that would deter the explosion, ultimately saving the Korean Peninsula. However, he needs to work with double agent Lee Jun-pyung (played by Lee Byung-hun) who seems to have other reasons for working with Jo. Whether or not the duo can save the peninsula depends on their teamwork.

 

“Start-Up” came in second over the weekend, selling 718,000 tickets at 1,102 screenings. Starring Ma Dong-seok, Park Jung-min and Jung Hae-in, the film centers around Taek-il and Sang-pil (played by Park and Jung), who have to face the responsibilities of becoming adults while working for their boss and mentor Geo-seok, a mysterious cook who runs a Chinese restaurant.

 

“Frozen 2” dropped down to third but still managed to sell 349,000 tickets through 855 screenings. The animated film has now sold a total of 12.7 million tickets at the local box office as of this weekend.

 

Local animated film “The Haunted House: Sky Goblin, The Great Jormungandr” ranked fourth after it sold 290,000 tickets through 841 screenings. In the film, siblings Hari and Duri are off on a winter vacation when they discover an unconscious sky goblin named Jubi on an airplane wing. They call upon their friends, goblins Shinbi and Geumbi, to help them save Jubi, but when they do, a legendary monster named Jormungandr wakes from its slumber in the deepest part of the ocean to pray upon the sky goblin and rest of its race.

 

“Ford v Ferrari” finished the weekend off selling 76,000 tickets at 321 screenings.

 

This week, the musical film “Cats” featuring a star-studded cast of big-name Hollywood actors and singers will arrive in local theaters on Christmas Eve, and another historical drama “Forbidden Dream,” about the friendship between King Sejong the Great and revolutionary scientist Jang Yeong-sil (played by Han Seok-kyu and Choi Min-sik), will also hit theaters to compete for audiences against “Ashfall” and “Start-Up.”

 

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]
 

2019.12.23 ASHFALL at # 1 Korean Box Office with 2.7 million audience admission.

 

Source: KoBiz

[rubie]

 

December 23, 2019

 

Korea Box Office: ‘Ashfall’ Volcano Disaster Movie Dominates Weekend

 

By SONIA KIL Variety.com

Two locally-made new releases, “Ashfall” and “Start-up” topped the weekend box office in South Korea, beating “Frozen 2.” (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker releases in Korea on Jan. 8, 2020).

 

Opening on Thursday, CJ Entertainment’s “Ashfall” debuted on top of the box office. The volcano action drama earned $18.2 million from 2.46 million admissions between Thursday and Sunday, including $15.13 million earned over the weekend. It accounted for 56% of the country’s total weekend box office.

 

Produced by “Along with the Gods” franchise director Kim Yong-hwa, “Ashfall” is co-directed by Lee Hae-jun (“Like a Virgin”) and cinematographer-turned-director Kim Byeong-seo. Starring some of South Korea’s top actors such as Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo and Don Lee, the disaster film follows the unexpected eruption of Korea’s tallest volcano, Baekdusan that straddles the border between China and North Korea, and plunges the Korean peninsula into chaos.

Wednesday opener, “Start-up” landed in second. The Next Entertainment World release earned $8.3 million over five days, including $5.45 million earned over the weekend.

 

Spoiler

 

Based on a web cartoon of the same name, the drama revolves around two young friends who get shady jobs and experience life’s unexpected turns. Directed by Choi Jeong-yeol (“One way Trip”), “Start-up” stars Don Lee along with rising star actors Park Jung-min (“Svaha : The Sixth Finger”) and Jung Hae-in (“Tune in for Love”).

“Frozen 2” slipped to third place after topping the chart for five weekends. The Walt Disney release earned $2.59 million for a five-weekend total of $91.4 million.

 

Korean animation, “The Haunted House: The Sky Ghost VS Jormungandr” opened on Thursday and took fourth place. The CJ ENM release earned $2.17 million over opening four days.

 

Disney’s “Ford v Ferrari” added $593,000 for a total of $8.06 million after three weekends. Incurring a steep drop of 89% in its second weekend, “Jumanji” earned $492,000 for $7.35 million after two weekends. “Knives Out” earned $298,000 for a three-weekend total of $4.07 million.

 

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

Baekdusan! What's the current temperature? 

HOT hot Korea by word of mouth!

A rave explosion ASHFALL Review poster revealed!

 

 

[rubie]

December 24, 2019

 

Volcano Disaster Film Draws over 2 Million Viewers in Less Than a Week

 

Source: The ChosunIlbo

 

Actor Lee Byung-hun's latest film "Ashfall" drew more than 2 million viewers in less than a week since its release last week.

 

According to the Korean Film Council, the volcano disaster flick attracted 2.46 million viewers as of Monday, just four days after its release on Dec. 19.

 

With its star-studded cast including Lee, Ha Jung-woo and Su-zy and high production value, "Ashfall" depicts a group of people who try to stop a volcanic eruption of Mt. Baekdu in North Korea.

 

Photos: CJ Entertainment

 

Christmas Eve Special 
BAEKDUSAN Unseen behind the scenes major release! 

 

 

 

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December 24, 2019

 

"Ashfall" reched another important milestone:  3 million viewers

 

 

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Published on December 22, 2019 by YTN KOREAN
 

YTN Interview with Actors of ASHFALL

 

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

A movie for the whole family! "
How to spend a perfect year-end with your loved ones
.
We invite you to the whole family screening.
.
Screening Schedule: Thursday, December 26 20:00
Screening place: Lotte Cinema World Tower

 

 

Source: CJ Entertainment

 

Megabox Megatalk with the Directors of Baekdusan 12/27

Korean-type disasters filled with human beauty

 

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Photos: I D Y HO YEE MEI @idyidyhoho

 

Today Ashfall  premiere in Hong Kong ! An amazing film #백두산 대박

 

 

 

 

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