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'Extreme Job' Korea's Most Lucrative Korean Film

Director Lee Byeong-heon-I's film "Extreme Job" has set a box-office record for a Korean movie.

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According to the Korean Film Council, "Extreme Job" had made W136 billion in box-office revenues as of Friday (US$1=W1,125). The last top-grossing film, "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" generated W135.8 billion in 2014.

The number of people who have watched "Extreme Job" is actually smaller at 15.8 million vs. 17.6 million, but ticket prices have gone up. Average ticket prices rose from W7,619 in 2014 to W8,286 in 2018.

"Extreme Job" cost W9.5 billion to produce and market. Revenues are therefore about 14 times larger than the production costs, setting the movie on course to becoming the most profitable Korean film ever.

The record-holder is "Miracle in Cell No.7", in 2013 which cost W5.8 billion and made W91.4 billion, earning some 15 times its investment. "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" cost W19 billion and earned seven times more overall.

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