Hur Jin-ho's The Assassin(s) Tops Korea's Chuseok Box Office
The Assassin(s) drew 1.5 million admissions over Chuseok and grossed $11.3M in five days, leading a crowded Korean holiday slate.
The Assassin(s), Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller, dominated Korea's Chuseok holiday weekend, drawing more than 1.5 million admissions and grossing $11.3M from 1,546,614 admissions in its first five days, according to Deadline.
The film, which stars Lee Min-ho, Park Hae-il and Yoo Hai-jin, opened on September 23 and centers on the attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1974. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
It was not the only new release vying for holiday audiences. Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub also opened on September 23, taking just over $6M from 813,842 admissions.
Among holdovers, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey added $5M from 565,696 admissions in the weekly chart. Released on August 5, it has now grossed just over $98M from 11.7 million admissions in Korea.
Warner Bros Korea's remake The Intern, starring Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee, opened on September 16, while Obsession has grossed $6.7M since its September 2 release.
Oscar hopes and the year's leader
Lee Chang-dong's Netflix-backed Possible Love is Korea's official submission for Best International Feature at the Oscars. On the year-to-date chart, The King's Warden still leads with $120M from 16.9 million admissions, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day has grossed $69M from 9 million admissions.
Quick answers
How much did The Assassin(s) make in its opening weekend?
It grossed $11.3M from 1,546,614 admissions in its first five days, with more than 1.5 million admissions over the Chuseok holiday weekend.
What is The Assassin(s) about?
The historical thriller, directed by Hur Jin-ho, centers on the attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1974.
Which Korean film is the country's Oscar submission this year?
Possible Love, directed by Lee Chang-dong and backed by Netflix, is Korea's official submission for Best International Feature.