Local Films Await Chuseok Holidays in Mid-September 

After dominating the summer holiday season, local films are taking a brief break in early September, as they await the Chuseok holidays later in the month. This opened the door for Hollywood to rule the roost, and the latest film from Marvel claimed yet another first-place debut for the hit studio. The business was up 20% as 934,000 tickets were sold over the weekend, and the local market share shrunk back to 35%.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the latest entry in the blockbuster Marvel franchise, handily scored the first-place victory on the charts, selling 534,000 tickets (USD 4.76 million) over the weekend, with 795,000 sales (USD 6.34 million) counted over its first five days. Though the film has been well received overseas and by local critics, domestic audiences have for the moment been somewhat lukewarm on the title, a rarity for a Marvel production.

The Hwang Jungmin vehicle Hostage: Missing Celebrity slid 52% and dropped to second during its third weekend on the charts, during which it filled 136,000 seats (USD 1.12 million). The action-thriller has to date attracted 1.4 million viewers (USD 11.74 million).

Ryoo Seugwan’s Escape from Mogadishu had another stronghold, slowing just 35% as it held strong in third place, securing 104,000 entries (USD 888,000) during its sixth weekend in theaters. The hit film has to date sold 3.25 million tickets (USD 26.9 million), the highest total of the year.

Disaster comedy Sinkhole was down 63% as it recorded 67,000 entries (USD 565,000) over the course of its fourth weekend. The Showbox film has so far accrued 2.11 million sales (USD 17.84 million).

Hollywood horror sequel Don’t Breathe 2 debuted in fifth place with 30,000 admissions (USD 267,000) over the weekend and a total of 49,000 sales (USD 402,000) since its Wednesday debut.

This week will see both the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect and the women fronted action-thriller Gunpowder Milkshake debut in theaters, but there’s little doubt that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will maintain pole position. Meanwhile, several local titles are expected next week, when the chart will shake up in time for the Chuseok holidays.