Admissions rose over 20% to 524,000 with an award-winning American film climbing to the top of the charts. Despite its Korean connection, it could not help the local market share as it tumbled down to 7%.

Entering the Korean market on a wave on media coverage following its Golden Globe win for Best Foreign Language Film and a slew of Best Supporting Actress prizes for local legend YOUN Yuh-jung, the American indie Minari, from Korean American filmmaker Lee Isaac CHUNG, topped the charts with 205,000 sales (USD 1.68 million) during its debut. The film, which is receiving strong reviews from Korean critics and for the most part positive audience scores, has attracted 277,000 viewers (USD 2.23 million) in the market in five days.

Debuting in second place was Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, as animated films continue to propel a marketplace whose multiplex opening times are capped at 10pm amid the pandemic. The well-received film sold 112,000 tickets (USD 931,000) over the weekend, with 127,000 seats (USD 1.05 million) filled since its Thursday opening.

Despite dropping two spots, the Japanese animated hit Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train rose 6% over its sixth weekend on the charts, during which it secured 88,000 entries (USD 804,000). The film has now banked 1.05 million admissions (USD 9 million).

The Disney-Pixar hit Soul meanwhile saw its weekly take slow by 57% as it brought in another 34,000 viewers (USD 298,000). The film has to date filled 1.97 million seats (USD million 16.13 million).

Closing out the top five was the local film MISSION: POSSIBLE which lost two thirds of its audience during its third week in the charts. The action-comedy attracted 28,000 spectators (USD 241,000), raising its haul to 412,000 admissions (USD 3.32 million).

Minari and Raya the Last Dragon are both poised to add solid numbers in their sophomore frames while theaters this weekend also welcome re-releases of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and WONG Kar-wai’s Chungking Express.