Hwang Jung-Min 황정민 [Upcoming Movies: “12.12: The Day”, “Mission Cross”, “Veteran 2”, “Hope”]

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August 19, 2015

‘Veteran’ surpasses 7 million-viewer mark

Crime action flick “Veteran” is racing up its viewer record at a pace matching that of “Assassination,” breaking the 7 million milestone in two weeks since release Wednesday. 

The film opened nationwide on Aug. 5, marking 1 million viewers by the third day, 2 million on fourth, 3 million on sixth, 4 million on ninth, 5 million on 10th, 6 million on 12th, and finally surpassing 7 million on the 14th day.

“Assassination” released on July 22 and entered the 10-million range in 25 days. 

Industry insiders are speculating whether “Veteran” will set a faster record than its precursor for viewers. 

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

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Source: KoBiz

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August 20, 2015

'Veteran' Celebrates 7 Million Viewers

Source: BNTNews

[by Sora Ghim, photo by Hwang Ji Eun] Movie 'Veteran' held a thank you event to commemorate surpassing 7 million viewers on August 19 at the Yeongdeungpo CGV.

'Veteran' is about an investigation team chasing down a man from a wealthy family for a criminal action film. It stars Hwang Jung Min, Yoo Ah In, Yoo Hae Jin, Oh Dal Soo, Jang Yoon Joo, Kim Si Hoo, Jung Woong In, Jung Man Sik, Jin Kyung, Yoo In Young and Park So Dam. (photo by bntnews DB)

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Source: KoBiz

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August 22, 2015

'Veteran' hits North American theaters

Source: The Korea Times

Korea's hottest action movie now in theaters, "Veteran," is also testing North American theaters.

The action movie will open simultaneously in 45 theaters in cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, the movie's American distributor CJ E&M America was quoted as saying in media reports. It is a wider release than made by "Roaring Current" (2014) and "Ode to My Father" (2015), two of the most watched Korean movies in North America so far.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring a stellar cast, including Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin and Oh Dal-su, the film is about a veteran detective who stands up against an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich conglomerate.

The film has sold more than 8 million tickets as of Saturday in Korea, according to its local distributor CJ Entertainment.

aoshima11@ktimes.com

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August 23, 2015

Will ‘Veteran’ make it past 10 million mark?

Fast advancing crime-action film “Veteran” is dashing for the 10 million-viewer mark, as the Korean Film Council tallied a cumulative 8.5 million viewers on Sunday. 

The ninth movie by star director Ryu Seung-wan, “Veteran” raked in 8 million viewers by the 18th day since its release. 

Its pace exceeds those of “Ode to My Father” (2014) “Miracle in Cell No. 7” (2013) and “The Attorney” (2013), which respectively took 21, 25 and 20 days to jump the 8 million hurdle. The three movies are ranked second, fifth and eighth on the Korean Film Council’s list of 10 top-performing movies. “Veteran” is currently placed 20th. 

“Veteran” portrays the cathartic struggle and victory of a policeman against a corrupt and egocentric millionaire heir in the backdrop of modern Korea. 

Seasoned actors Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Oh Dal-su, Yoo Hae-jin, Jeong Woong-in and more are cast in the film.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

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August 24, 2015

'Veteran' leads box office for 3rd weekend

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- The Korean action film "Veteran" topped the box office for the third straight weekend, surpassing 9 million in total attendance, data showed Monday.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film stayed at the top of the box office, amassing 1.34 million viewers from 906 screens across the country for the Aug. 21-23 weekend, according to computerized box-office figures from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). This marked the film's third consecutive lead in the chart.

Also on Sunday, the film released on Aug. 5 ranked No. 1 for the 19th day on the daily box office, surpassing 9 million in attendance.

The pace is faster than 20 days for another Korean box-office sensation "Assassination."

   The action flick depicts a confrontation between a police detective and an heir of a family-owned conglomerate known here as "chaebol." It stars Hwang Jung-min as Seo Do-cheol, a hot-blooded detective with a strong sense of justice, and Yoo Ah-in as Jo Tae-oh, an arrogant and cruel chaebol heir.

"Beauty Inside," a Korean fantasy-romance film starring Han Hyo-joo, landed at No. 2 on the weekend chart, adding 486,216 viewers to its accumulated audience of nearly 630,000 in the weekend.

Released on Thursday, the film outperformed "Assassination," the most-viewed Korean film year-to-date, and Hollywood blockbuster "Fantastic 4," which opened the same day.

The movie depicts the story of a woman who falls in love with a man who changes into different people every day.

"Assassination" is about Korean independence fighters during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea dropped to the third place, drawing 484,217 audiences from 611 screens around the country. Its accumulated number of viewers reached 11.6 million as of Sunday, becoming the ninth-most-viewed Korean film ever.

"Fantastic 4," a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, started weak, ranking fourth with 234,531 admissions.

"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" came down to the fifth post, selling only 135,319 tickets.

The fifth installment in the nearly 20-year-old film series is soon expected to top 6 million in attendance as its accumulated number of viewers was 5.92 million on Sunday.

Above is a poster of the Korean box-office sensation "Veteran." (Yonhap) Above is a poster of the Korean box-office sensation "Veteran." (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

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August 24, 2015

'Veteran' Set to Hit 10 Million Mark

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

The crime flick "Veteran" is likely to hit the 10 million mark for cinema attendance soon as viewership exceeded 9 million by Sunday. 

Earlier this summer, the period espionage film "Assassination" achieved the feat, so if "Veteran" meets expectations, this will be the first summer that two Korean films draw 10 million viewers in a season. 

The flicks were released two weeks apart. 

"The Attorney" and "Frozen" both broke 10 million in the 2013-14 winter season. 

Korean films accounted for 64.4 percent of the market in August, recovering from lackluster performance earlier this year.

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Published on August 21, 2015 by K STAR 한류스타 리포트 & 생방송 스타뉴스

[K STAR REPORT] [VETERAN] Special fan event 

 

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August 28, 2015

Korean film 'Veteran' tops 10 million in attendance

SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) - The domestic action film "Veteran" exceeded 10 million in attendance Saturday, the 25th day of its run, the film's distributor CJ Entertainment said.

The 10 million mark is considered a huge success for average budget films in the local film market. According to data from the Korean Film Council, only 14 films have reached the milestone so far with 10 of them Korean.

Earlier in the month, "Assassination" became the first Korean film this year to hit the mark.

The latest move set a new record in Korean film history, as two local films that opened in the same season surpassed the milestone.

"Veteran" has the largest number of viewers among the films by the Korean action auteur Ryoo Seung-wan.

On Thursday, the movie topped the box office for the 23rd consecutive day, the longest period for all films this year. It broke the previous record set by the American action flick "Fast & Furious 7."

   Starring Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin and Oh Dal-su, "Veteran" is about a veteran detective who stands up to an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich family as he delves into the mysterious death of a truck driver that he knew.

The above photo is a scene from the Korean box-office sensation "Veteran" (Yonhap) The above photo is a scene from the Korean box-office sensation "Veteran" (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

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Source: KoBiz

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News bites: August 30, 2015

by awcoconuts | dramabeans.com

True to expectations (and yay for Yoo Ah-in!), the Ryu Seung-wan-directed Veteran has been a box office sensation. Since its release on August 5, the movie has already become the highest-grossing domestic film of 2015, it’s been the consecutive weekly box office leader, and this weekend it hit over 10 million in ticket sales. On August 29, Veteran surpassed 10.1 million on its 25th day in theaters. [Star Today]

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August 31, 2015

 'Veteran' leads box office for 4th weekend

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- Industry predictions that the Korean action flick "Veteran" would stay on top at the box office for the fourth consecutive week turned out to be true.

In its fourth weekend, "Veteran" was distantly ahead of "Beauty Inside," another domestic film, collecting 1.08 million admissions compared with 401,810 for the latter film, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film topped 10 million in attendance on Saturday, becoming the second Korean film to hit the milestone this year after "Assassination."

   The 10 million mark is considered a huge success for average budget films in the local film market.

On Sunday, "Veteran" topped the box office for the 26th consecutive day, the longest period for all films this year.

The action flick features a confrontation between a police detective and an heir of a family-owned conglomerate known here as "chaebol." It stars Hwang Jung-min as Seo Do-cheol, a hot-blooded detective with a strong sense of justice, and Yoo Ah-in as Jo Tae-oh, an arrogant and cruel chaebol heir.

"Beauty Inside," a fantasy-romance film starring Han Hyo-joo, remained unchanged at No. 2 over the Aug. 28-30 weekend. It added 401,810 viewers to its accumulated attendance of close to 1.4 million.

Released on Aug. 20, the movie tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a man who changes into different people every day.

"Assassination," a historical action film starring Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae and Ha Jung-woo, sits at No. 3, drawing 344,825 moviegoers to 511 screens around the country.

It is the eighth most viewed Korean film ever at 12.19 million as of Sunday after "Roaring Currents," "Ode to My Father," "The Host," "The Thieves," "Miracle in Cell No. 7," "Masquerade" and "King And The Clown."

   In "Assassination," three Korean independence fighters are assigned the mission of assassinating a top Japanese official during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.

"Untouchable Lawmen," an action film starring Im Chang-jung and Choi Daniel, landed at No. 4 on the weekly chart with 198,445 admissions. The film released on Thursday was marginally ahead of "Wonderful Nightmare," a comedy starring Song Seung-heon and Uhm Jeong-hwa, with 125,479.

With this, Korean films dominated the top five posts last weekend.

Sixth place went to "American Ultra," a Hollywood action-comedy film, which drew 91,083 viewers over the weekend.

It was followed by "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation," "Minions," "La Famille Belier" and "Inside Out."

   sshim@yna.co.kr

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August 31, 2015

Another Action Flick Garners Huge Box-Office Success

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

The crime flick "Veteran" has attracted over 10 million viewers within less than a month since its release in early August.

"'The Veteran' surpassed the 10-million mark in attendance on Saturday," the distributor of the film said.

It is the 13th Korean film to achieve the feat.

People buy tickets at a theater in Seoul on Sunday. /Newsis 

Another Korean film "Assassination" hit the 10-million mark a couple of weeks ago.

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August 31, 2015

Three Korean films head to Toronto film fest

By Jason Bechervaise The Korea Times

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), now in its 40th year, is firmly established as one of the leading film festivals in North America. This year the festival will screen a whopping 289 features from 71 countries, including three from Korea.

Although much of the coverage surrounding the TIFF often focuses on Hollywood films and Oscar buzz ("The Theory of Everything" and "Still Alice" that both premiered at TIFF last year won acting accolades for Eddie Redmayne (Best Actor), and Julianne Moore (Best Actress), the festival also devotes much of its program to Asian cinema.

In fact, the city chosen for last year's City to City program was Seoul. Eight Korean films were selected, including July Jung's "A Girl at My Door," Park Jung-bum's "Alive," Kim Seong-hun's "A Hard Day," Boo Ji-young's "Cart" and Yim Pil-sung's "Scarlet Innocence," making it the first spotlight on Korean cinema at the festival since 2002.

 
"Veteran" is Ryoo Seung-wan's ninth feature film and stars Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in. With more than 10.8 million admissions and counting, it's his most successful film to date. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Shim Sung-bo's "Haemoo" was also invited last year as a gala presentation, as was "Cold Eyes" starring Sol Gyung-gu and Han Hyo-joo two years ago. Im Sang-soo's "The Housemaid" also screened in the same high-profile spot in 2010.

This year, the three Korean films heading to Toronto include two familiar names on the festival circuit: Ryoo Seung-wan and Hong Sang-soo, with "Veteran" and "Right Now, Wrong Then," respectively. Also making the journey to North America will be Kwon Oh-kwang with his feature debut "Collective Invention."

"Veteran," which is screening in the festival's Vanguard Section as a North American premiere, has been a box office smash hit in Korea, having surpassed the 10 million viewer mark on Saturday, a huge tally for a film with a relatively modest budget ($4.3 mil.) for a summer tent pole release. It's still firmly placed at the top of the charts with $72 million in box office receipts following very strong word-of-mouth from critics and viewers alike.

The film stars Hwang Jung-min as a detective who is determined to take down a ruthless and reckless young heir to a powerful conglomerate, played by Yoo Ah-in.

According to TIFF programmer Giovanna Fulvi, "The latest from Korean maestro Ryoo Seung-wan builds brilliantly on the foundation of his previous action smash "The Unjust," taking that film's brooding exploration of an underworld power elite merger and infusing it with brash humor and hugely entertaining set pieces."

"'Veteran' is vintage Ryoo. With its distinctive camera technique and goofy gags, ‘Veteran' is a work of high entertainment."

A different auteur, Hong Sang-soo is no stranger to the TIFF having had eight of his previous films invited to the festival including "Hill of Freedom," which screened at the festival last year. Similarly, his latest, "Right Now, Wrong Then," will have its North American premiere in the Masters section.

Having won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland last month along with Best Actor for Jung Jae-young, the film is enjoying favorable reactions from critics who tend to be somewhat divisive when it comes to Hong Sang-soo.

"Rarefied and minimalist ‘Right Now, Wrong Then' is another addition to Hong Sang-soo's cinematic catalogue of behavioral anthropology" describes Fulvi.

"Two variations on a potentially fateful encounter between a filmmaker and a painter, the film is an enriching cinematic experience, similar yet surprisingly different from Hong's previous films."

Turning to this year's Korean feature debut, Fulvi adds, "Every year I try to include in my selection of Korean cinema a discovery, a new film from a talented new director. In the past, I have put on the program films like ‘Sa-kwa' by Kang Yi-kwan or ‘Castaway on the Moon' by Lee Hae-jun."

Starring Lee Kwang-soo and Park Bo-young, "This year's discovery is ‘Collective Invention,' a hilarious social satire about a hapless mutant's meteoric rise to celebrity _ and subsequent fall from grace. The film examines how popular culture operates by its own capricious logic and is the hugely inventive feature debut from Kwon Oh-kwang, a new talent to watch for in the panorama of South Korean cinema."

The film will make its world premiere in the Vanguard Section.

For audiences unable to make it to Toronto, viewers can also catch the three films with English subtitles at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) that kicks off on Oct. 1, while "Right Now, Wrong Then" is to hit local theaters on Sept. 24 ahead of Busan.

The Toronto International Film Festival takes place from Sept. 10-20.

jase@koreanfilm.org.uk

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September 1, 2015

‘Veteran’ joins ‘Assassination’ to exceed 10 million

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

Korea’s film industry has now seen two local movies surpass the monumental 10 million admissions mark this year.

Ryoo Seung-wan’s cop action comedy “Veteran” achieved the feat on Saturday, recording 454,922 ticket sales to add another digit to its total admissions. 

It has now been seen by 10.8 million moviegoers, making 84.8 billion won ($71.7 million) so far. 

On the backs of a stellar cast including Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Oh Dal-su and Yoo Hae-jin, the film’s thrilling plot involving a ruthless business tycoon and a righteous cop is a major reason behind its success. 

The fact that the antagonist’s reckless behavior, such as doing drugs, holding alcohol-fueled parties and shamelessly committing hit and runs, was inspired by real incidents from Korea’s conglomerate heirs attracted more attention to the film. 

The second-place spot over the weekend was taken by romance flick “The Beauty Inside,” directed by Baek Jong-yeol. 

In spite of its relatively toned-down ambience compared to other options in theaters, “The Beauty Inside” won the hearts of 20- and 30-something female viewers for its beautiful visuals and heart-rending love story. 

It was watched by 401,808 moviegoers over the weekend, lifting its two-week total to 1.4 million, which roughly translates to 10.9 billion won. 

Choi Dong-hoon’s historical action movie “Assassination,” the other record-setter in Korean film history, sold 344,823 tickets during its sixth weekend in Korean theaters. Earning 94.5 billion won so far, the film’s total ticket admissions have now reached 12.2 million. 

Aside from the strong performances by actors Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae and Ha Jung-woo, the film’s depiction of Korean independence fighters during the days of Japanese colonial rule aligned well with the nation’s mood, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan.

“Untouchable Lawmen,” starring singer-actor Im Chang-jung and Choi Daniel, made its debut in fourth place with 198,445 ticket admissions. 

Featuring two reckless cops hired to take down a vicious criminal in an “unlawful” way, this B movie-type film directed by Shin Dong-yeob reveals a side of Korean society where crime is necessary to get by.

“American Ultra,” an American action comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who are both well-known in Korea, opened in sixth place with 91,083 ticket admissions.

Starring the duo as an unorthodox spy team, this film has now earned 1 billion won in Korean theaters. 

French film “La Famille Belier,” based on a true story, opened in ninth with 36,125 tickets sold. 

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]

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September 2, 2015

Top Korean Actors Who Guarantee Box Office Success

by leejojoba Soompi

Which top Korean actors can surely guarantee a box office success in the era of multiplex theaters? Is it Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Shik, or Ha Jung Woo, the young blood?

Exactly what factor defines a box office success? Star power is an element you can’t ignore if you want the movie to succeed at the box office.

Here is a list of top box office stars according to the official statistics released by the Korean Film Council. The findings are from the Korean Film Almanac for years 1971 to 2010. From 2011, data collected from the Film Council’s computer network was used to measure the findings. The total number of viewers/tickets from the movies these actors acted in were used to determine this list of box office stars.

10. Ahn Sung Ki (39,833,441 viewers)

9. Choi Min Shik (40,859,388 viewers)

8. Jung Jae Young (49,819,044 viewers)

7. Kim Yoon Suk (49,965,687 viewers)

6. Lee Jung Jae (51,586,615 viewers)

5. Ha Jung Woo (56,801,630 viewers)

4. Hwang Jung Min (58,721,711 viewers)

Hwang Jung Min has enjoyed huge success with “Ode to My Father” and “Veteran.”

3. Sol Kyung Gu (62,984,832 viewers)

Sol Kyung Gu’s hit movies include “Haeundae,” “Silmido,” and more.

2. Ryu Seung Ryong (64,971,576 viewers)

Ryu Seung Ryong comes in at number two. He was in three of the biggest Korean blockbusters ever. They’re “Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King,” “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” and “The Admiral: Roaring Currents.” His status as a box office star has speedily grown since 2010.

1. Song Kang Ho (74,736,952 viewers)

Song Kang Ho tops the list as the one who embodies such star power that guarantees a box office success. Although “Howling” and “Hindsight” didn’t do too well at the box office, he more than made up for it with “Snowpiercer,” “The Face Reader,” and “The Attorney” in 2013.  The accumulative number of viewers for his movies are more than 70 million. His next movie “The Throne” is expected to hit big during the upcoming Chuseok holiday season.

Among the top ten actors on this list, Ha Jung Woo is the only actor in his thirties and Ahn Sung Ki is the oldest on the list. Meanwhile, Oh Dal Soo has been in many of the hit movies mentioned above as a supporting actor. However, he has yet to enter the top ten. Perhaps this will change in coming years.

Oh Dal Soo

Choi Geun Ha who works for Showbox, one of the largest Korean film distribution companies, says, “There’s no such thing as unconditional star power. The viewers trust in the acting abilities of actors like Song Kang Ho, Ryu Seung Ryong, Sol Kyung Gu, Hwang Jung Min, Ha Jung Woo, and others. For instance, viewers give Song Kang Ho credit for selecting and acting in a particular movie. They know he’s a great actor, so they watch with great expectations.”

CEO Kang Hye Jung, who produced “Berlin” and “Veteran,” commented, “When the director is able to effectively communicate his intent to the actor, the whole system works.”

CEO Ahn Soo Hyun, who produced “The Thieves” and “Assassination,” says, “Yes, star power definitely plays a role. But no movie becomes a hit just because a certain actor is in it. If the viewers like the work of a certain actor, they’re more interested in the movie they star in. And the basis of that interest comes from the actor’s ability to deliver great performance.”

As for actresses, the top six were revealed.

6. Han Hyo Joo (approx. 24,530,000 viewers)

5. Uhm Jung Hwa (31,573,965 viewers)

4. Ha Ji Won (33,108,412 viewers)

Ha Ji Won still came in at fourth place even though she didn’t have much success in the box office in the last five years.

3. Son Ye Jin (33,172,311 viewers)

Son Ye Jin takes third place with her success in “The Pirates.”

2. Kim Hye Soo (38,450,993 viewers)

Some of Kim Hye Soo’s box office hits include “Tazza” and “The Thieves.”

1. Jun Ji Hyun (38,930,499 viewers)

Jun Ji Hyun beat Kim Hye Soo by a minor margin due to her recent success in “The Thieves” and “Assassination.”

CEO Ahn Soo Hyun adds, “I think the public demands something more fresh from actresses compared to actors. The viewers become explosively enthusiastic when an actress shows a new unexpected side to her acting style.” She also emphasizes, “The reason they get first choices in selecting scripts is because we trust that they can carry the part they’re offered. No matter the box office and star power, if the actress doesn’t fit the role she plays, it doesn’t work. That’s when great expectations turn into disappointments.”

What do you think about these results? Did your favorite actors and actresses make the list?

Sources (1) (2) (3)

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September 3, 2015

VETERAN Readies for North American Release
Action-Comedy Hit Bows September 18th

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

Currently topping the charts in its fourth week in Korea, where it has accrued 11.19 million viewers (USD 73.76 million) to date, RYOO Seung-wan’s Veteran is looking to new shores as CJ Entertainment has confirmed its North American release for September 18th. The action-comedy blockbuster will screen in 47 theaters in 31 cities across North America.
 
Starring the red-hot HWANG Jung-min, who already crossed the ten million viewer mark earlier this year with Ode to My Father, Veteran tells the story of a detective who goes up against a malevolent corporate heir (played by YOO Ah-in). The film marks action maestro RYOO’s greatest commercial success, topping the performance of his 2013 spy thriller The Berlin File.
 
Prior to its commercial release, Veteran will have its North American premiere on September 13th as part of the Vanguard section of the 40th Toronto International Film Festival. The film will then debut in US cities on the 18th, including Anchorage, Ann Arbor, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fullerton, Hanover, Honolulu, Houston, Irvine, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington DC. It will also screen in Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

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September 8, 2015

(Yonhap Feature) Korean cinemas are for more than movies

SEOUL, Sept. 8 (Yonhap) -- Want to see a movie on a big screen but you're too tired? In that case, there's a nice option that you can consider: a reclining bed cinema.

CJ CGV, the country's largest multi-screen cinema chain, runs two "Tempur Cinemas" with reclining beds in Seoul and Busan.

In the world's first and only theater of its kind, all you need to do is to take off your shoes, put on a pair of slippers, lie on a bed, pull a blanket up to your chest and adjust the angles of the reclining bed with a remote controller. Then you can comfortably watch a film nibbling cookies with a free drink.

Installed beside the bed is a side table where you can put drinks or finger foods as well as a lamp, a charger and a hanger. If you want, you can also order various beers and wines, popcorns and snacks or sample nice French or Italian cuisine at an exclusive restaurant that is part of the "Cine de Chef" premium theater.

The reclining bed cinema is increasingly becoming a must-visit destination for local movie fans seeking a new movie experience.

A month after the luxury theater opened, CJ CGV announced on Wednesday that the Tempur Cinema at its Apgujeong location had an average of 75 percent of its seats taken for the past one month. This marked an increase of over 80 percentage points from before the bed cinema was created through the remodeling of a screening room inside the "Cine de Chef" venues in Seoul's Apgujeong and Busan's Centum City locations.

Before, the "Cine de Chef" originally consisted of two screening rooms with large and comfortable seats, an exclusive restaurant with chefs and a large lounge and bar.

The average seat occupancy rate for Tempur Cinema's second branch in Busan, the second-largest city in the country, was also high, with 65 percent during the period, almost two times higher than a year ago.

"Tickets are often sold out on evenings of business days or weekends," CGV said. "It became a hot place even among residents in provincial areas, and we received a flood of reviews from users saying they felt like they were watching a film at home."

  

Models of mattress maker Tempur Korea Co. lie on reclining, electric beds to watch a film during a publicity event at the CGV Apgujeong venue in southern Seoul on July 22, 2015. (Yonhap) Models of mattress maker Tempur Korea Co. lie on reclining, electric beds to watch a film during a publicity event at the CGV Apgujeong venue in southern Seoul on July 22, 2015. (Yonhap)

The theater chain created the world's first-ever reclining bed cinema in the two venues in collaboration with Tempur-Pedic International Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of mattresses and pillows made from viscoelastic foam, on July 22.

The reclining bed is a motor-operated bed that allows users to freely adjust the inclinations of the head, upper body and legs by simply pressing buttons.

Similar bed cinemas exist in some foreign countries but they just created a bedroom-like mood by putting pillows and bedclothes on a wooden flat frame, which make it rather uncomfortable for viewers to see films, according to the company.

It says the Tempur Cinema is different in that it provides a more comfortable environment for watching films with the use of reclining beds.

A ticket costs 40,000 won (US$33.90) for an adult, more than four times the normal ticket price in South Korea. But the theater became a hotspot not just for films but for celebrating special personal occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays and graduations.

"It was so comfortable to lie here and watch a movie, so I don't even want to go home," Lee Mi-young, a 38-year-old company worker in Seoul, said while emerging from the Apgujeong Tempur Cinema, where she watched the Korean action film "Veteran" with her mother. "I want to come again on my special day with a special person."

 "I felt like I was in the first-class section of a flight," said Cho Hyun-jin, a 55-year-old housewife who came with her husband. "I like this bed theater because it makes me feel so special."

Likewise, cinemas are transforming themselves into a space for offering multi-cultural experiences, not just for movies.

CGV turned a screening room in its Myeongdong venue into a movie-themed library.

With some 10,000 books, including original novels and comic books of their film adaptations, the CGV Cine Library is visited by about an average of 300 movie fans a day on Saturdays or Sundays.

Books recommended by filmmakers and movie stars are put on display and visitors can also read scripts of films there.

Megabox, another large multi-screen theater chain, remodeled a space that housed a ticketing booth in its COEX venue into a library of comic books to promote convenience for movie fans.

It has about 3,000 books, ranging from paper versions of popular Webtoons to original comic books of films or TV dramas, according to the company. But only Megabox members can use the library for 1,000 membership points for two hours of stay each time.

sshim@yna.co.kr

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Published on September 2, 2015 by K STAR 한류스타 리포트 & 생방송 스타뉴스