SEOUL -- After nearly three months without a local film at the top of the B.O., the Korean film industry is hoping the success of crime pic "Public Enemy Returns" heralds the beginning of a long, hot summer.
Directed by reliable helmer Kang Woo-suk, the pic took in $8.82 million from 1.4 million admissions in its four-day opening weekend.
Distributor CJ Entertainment says it now expects "Enemy" to tie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skulls' " record of reaching the two million ticket mark in just eight days of release.
As has been widely reported, local films have had a terrible time at the box office this year. According to multiplex chain CJ CGV, total admissions for local films in the first half of 2008 were 34.1 million or 47% of the entire audience.
For many countries, that would be high, but it's the lowest number in Korea since the first half of 2001. Since then, Korean films had ruled the charts, securing more than a 50% market share over the last six years.
While some industry commentators suggest the reduction of screen quotas (the number of days per year movie houses have to play Korean movies) is the cause of the downturn, others point to weak infrastructure and low investment returns.
The debate will continue, but it is clear the large number of low-budget films that flowed into theaters in the first half of the year did not connect with auds.
Summer, often the preserve of horror pics, this year sees the return of the big-budget fare to try to win back the public.
The most anticipated film is Korean Western "The Good the Bad the Weird," which opens July 17. Pic has been slightly re-edited by helmer Kim Ji-woon since its preem in Cannes, and received a PG-13 certificate from the Korea Media Rating Board. Production shingle Barunson is expecting the new rating will help it attract a young public.
The new pic from Lee Jun-ik (helmer of the $60 million-grossing hit "The King and the Clown" and "Radio Star") is "Sunny," a $7 million budget Vietnamese war epic that follows a wife in search of her singer husband. Industry-watchers hope Lee's sensitivity will again pay off for investor and distributor Showbox.
Also in the running is crime thriller "Eye for an Eye." Helmed by K.T. Kwak ("Friend" "Typhoon"), the heist pic portrays the war of wills between a famous detective (Han Seok-gyu) and a notorious intellectual criminal (Cha Seung-won). Produced by Taewon Entertainment, the thriller hits the theaters July 24 and is distributed by Lotte Entertainment.
The final Korean title with summer blockbuster potential is "The Divine Weapon," distributed by CJ Entertainment on Aug 14. The $10 million historical drama is based on the true story of King Sejong's efforts to develop a high-tech weapon to fight against China's Ming emperor.
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