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[HanCinema's Film Review] Korean Weekend Box Office 2012.04.06 ~ 2012.04.08

HanCinema's Korean Box Office Review

(2012.04.06 ~ 2012.04.08)

The runaway success enjoyed by "The Hunger Games" back in the U.S. failed to translate into an opening weekend triumph here in Korea. Lee Yong-ju's "Architecture 101" remains at the top, marking its third consecutive week as the choice film on the Korean circuit. "Architecture 101" is now well within striking distance of "Helpless" as it looks set to move up to four in the list of the highest grossing domestic hits of the year.

The much anticipated film adaptation "The Hunger Games" was released on Thursday, and with it came the threat that Hollywood would flex its CGI muscles at local audiences. However, that was not the case as the blockbuster earned just 273,640 admissions in its first weekend spell in Korea. This record smashing film is not done yet though, as I am sure its second week will produce the numbers the film is expected to attract. The touching and charming French film "The Intouchables" is unmoved at number three but finds itself about 100,000 admissions lighter with 216,113 admissions. Wu Seon-ho's "Over my Dead Body" also remains steady at four, claiming 195,398 admissions and just under 13% of the ticket sales.

Another CGI heavy film occupies number five in the form of "Wrath of the Titans". This sequel is approaching a million admissions here in Korea but is up against some unwavering local hits as well as strong international competition. The award winning romance epic "Titanic" has been released for all those who would wish to experience this glorious and heart-felt film in the third dimension and is followed by "Helpless" with 27 174. "Helpless" is currently the fourth highest grossing Korean film of the year with 2 406 959 admissions, a position that is under threat as Lee Yong-ju's "Architecture 101" marches on.

Fans of the hugely popular "Game of Thrones" T.V show with quickly be able to identify the lead in this week's number eight. "Conan the Barbarian" hits the Korean cinema circuit but claims a poultry 19,010 admissions in the shadow of a competitive screening schedule. The Russian animation "Space Dogs 3D" is next with 4,690, and the top ten films of this past weekend is rounded out by Kim Hyeong-jun's "The Scent", a comedy thriller staring Park Hee-soon and Park Si-yeon that involves a private detective who specialises in adultery cases and a femme fatale suspected of murdering her husband.

Korean Box Office - Admissions for the Week-end 2012.04.06 - 2012.04.08 (www.kobis.or.kr)

# Films Release date Week-end Total
1 "Architecture 101" (건축학개론) 2012/03/22 454 430 2 332 698
2 "The Hunger Games"   273 796 317 389
3

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"The Intouchables" (Intouchables)

  216 277 1 291 240
4 "Over my Dead Body" (시체가 돌아왔다) 2012/03/29 195 508 704 948
5 "Wrath of the Titans"   163 425 836 231
6 "Titanic 3D"   119 787 140 132
7 "Helpless" (화차) 2012/03/08 27 174 2 406 959
8 "Conan the Barbarian "   19 048 23 997
9 "Space Dogs 3D" (Belka i Strelka. Zvezdnye sobaki)   4 709 40 929
10 "The Scent" (간기남) 2012/04/11 4 479 8 855
Korean movies only  
  "Talking Architect" (말하는 건축가) 2012/03/08 1 493 23 035
  "Planet of Snail" (달팽이의 별) 2012/03/22 1 003 12 829
  "Nameless Gangster" (범죄와의 전쟁 : 나쁜놈들 전성시대) 2012/02/02 493 4 683 415
  "Mother - 2011" (어머니) 2012/04/05 459 1 512
  "Speckles: The Tarbosaurus" (점박이: 한반도의 공룡 3D) 2012/01/26 429 1 028 579
  "Gabi" (가비 - 加比) 2012/03/15 202 270 437
  "Arch of Triumph" (1978, 개선문) - Re-release   170 600
  "Romance gray" (1979, 로맨스 그레이) - Re-release   86 267
  "Hand in Hand" (해로 - 偕老) 2012/03/22 79 3 321
  "2 Lines" (두 개의 선) 2012/02/09 61 2 190
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