Second Film over the Mark for Director CHOI Dong-hoon
After 25 days on release,
CHOI Dong-hoon’s period action flick
Assassination became the 12th Korean film (16th overall) to cross the 10 million viewer mark at the Korean box office, reaching the mark on the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan, August 15th. A day later,
Assassination also eclipsed
The Avengers: Age of Ultron to become the most successful film of the year. To date, the film has accrued 10.92 million admissions (USD 71.47 million) and is still second ranked on the local charts.
Continuing CHOI’s string of career hits,
Assassination afforded the filmmaker his second 10 million viewer blockbuster, following 2012’s
The Thieves (both films were distributed by
Showbox). He is only the second Korean director to achieve that distinction, following
JK YOUN, whose films
Haeundae (2009) and
Ode to My Father also reached the mark. Starring
Gianna JUN and
LEE Jung-jae (who also featured in
The Thieves) as well as
HA Jung-woo, CHOI’s film tells the story of Korean independence fighters orchestrating a hit on ranking Japanese military figures in the 1930s.
Currently 13th on the all-time chart, just behind
Silmido (2003),
Assassination is poised to crack the top ten before long. Summer 2015 may yield another 10 million viewer hit in short order, as current chart-topper
Veteran from
RYOO Seung-wan is already at 7.23 million admissions (USD 47.76 million) while still sitting comfortably on top of the rankings, accounting for just shy of 50% of the market.