Stream K-Dramas at OnDemandKorea

Korean films dominate local box office during Q1

Posters for film "Secret Reunion" (left) and "Harmony" [Showbox/CJ Entertainment]

Korean films kept a strong presence on the domestic box office during the first quarter of this year despite the explosive success of "Avatar", according to data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

Advertisement

The KOFIC's quarterly report on the local film industry, released Tuesday, reported that Korean movies accounted for 44.3 percent of market share on the local box office from January to March 2010.

Several domestic films -- including "Secret Reunion", "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" and "Harmony" -- each drew over three million moviegoers, faring considerably well against Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar", which dominated Korean theaters for multiple weeks since its release in mid-December.

The James Cameron pic clocked in over 13.3 million admissions, becoming the most-watched film in Korean box office history as well as the highest-grossing film all-time worldwide.

In January, Korean films' presence stood at 39.1 percent on the local box office while soaring to 57.2 percent the next month. The monthly figure took a slight dip in March, however, recording a figure in the mid-30 percent range due to the lack of hit domestic productions.

The most-watched ten films in the country during the first quarter included five Korean movies; "Secret Reunion" (at No. 2 with 5.37 million admissions), "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" (No. 3, 3.59 mil.), "Harmony" (No. 4, 2.99 mil.), "No Mercy" (No. 8, 1.12 mil.) and "Parallel Life" (No. 9, 0.91 mil.).

"Avatar" led foreign films in the top ten list with 8.08 million moviegoers during the same period, followed by "Alice in Wonderland" (No. 5, 2.05 mil.), "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief" (No. 6, 1.84 mil.), "Sherlock Holmes" (No. 6, 1.05 mil.) and "Shutter Island" (No. 10, 0.79 mil.).

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

❎ Try Ad-free