Fish&chips Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 (edited) Continuing.. 16-15. 38 days Masquerade (2012) Lifetime admissions: 12,319,542 (Currently the 10th most attended film) Naver ratings: 9.23/10.0 <Masquerade> is a period flick set in the Joseon dynasty and tells a tale of a mad king who hires a double, a humble peasant, to take his place in public for fear of assassination. When the king ends up getting assassinated anyway, people in the palace, realizing the qualities of the double ask him to become King. <Masquerade> was praised for its vivid script, accomplished acting, sure-handed direction as well as commercial appeal. Despite being released in September, a down-period of the box office, it became the second most attended film at the 2012 box office. Avatar (2009) Lifetime admissions: 13,624,328 (Currently the 4th most attended film) Naver ratings: 9.06/10.0 <Avatar>, well you all know <Avatar>, a worldwide phenomenon. The same was true in Korea as it demolished the box office becoming the #1 most attended film of all time. It was also the first foreign release to get past 10M admissions, the next biggest foreign release being TF:RotF released earlier that same year with 7.5M admissions. 14. 34 days Tidal wave (2009) Lifetime admissions: 11,453,338 (Currently the 15th most attended film) Naver rating: 7.49/10.0 A film people look back on and think, “how did that become a 10M admissions film?” Extremely forgettable with all the generic tropes one could expect to find in a disaster film, and then some. This is the lowest rated film on the list. 13. 33 days The Attorney (2013) Lifetime admissions: 11,374,610 (currently the 16th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.98/10.0 The film the Korean conservative party love to hate. It was later revealed that many people who participated in the creation of this film were “blacklisted” by the government of the now impeached Park geun-hae, who placed certain restrictions on them from working in the entertainment industry, which is highly ironic given that the film is all about the corrupt SK government of the 70s and 80s using unlawful power to censor and punish college students. Granted the film is highly political, as it is based on the life of former president Roh moo-hyun who acted as a human rights attorney before he became president. Politics aside though, it’s a great little film carried by some virtuoso acting from Song Kang-ho and supporting cast. 12-11. 32 days The Host (2006) Lifetime admissions: 13,019,740 (currently the 6th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.62/10.0 Another film starring SK box office legend Song kang ho, this time with renowned film director Bong joon-ho. Not to be confused with the Hollywood film of the same name. On the surface the plot is about a genetic mutant monster that surfaces in river Han and how a family confronts it when one of their members gets taken. Under the surface it is a sideways jab at the US military which was accused of dumping illegal chemicals in the river Han a few years prior. Miracle in cell no.7 (2012) Lifetime admissions: 12,811,206 (currently the 8th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.62/10.0 Thank God this film was not based on a true story, the social reaction to this film was devastating enough without it. Boasting a 96% cry rate (just kidding), <miracle in cell no.7> depicts a mentally challenged father who gets thrown in jail for the “crime” of grabbing the bag of the daughter of an influential politician because it looked like the one he wanted to buy for his daughter. Because he is unable to mount a convincing defense and with the politician pulling the strings behind the scenes, he eventually gets the death sentence (what the f...) but not before changing the lives of his cell mates in a meaningful way. 10. 28 days Ode to my Father (2014) Lifetime admissions: 14,257,115 (currently the 3rd most attended film) Naver rating: 9.01/10.0 Described the “Forrest gump” of Korean movies. <Ode to my Father> shows the life of a single man as he lived it, the highs and the lows as well as the age in which he lived which was a tough time for Korea both economically and politically. <Ode to my father> was hugely successful in bringing in the elder generation for whom the subject matter resonated deeply as they themselves lived through that period. Edited May 13, 2018 by Fish&chips 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 (edited) And finally... 9-7. 25 days Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Lifetime admissions: 10,494,499 (currently the 18th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.31/10.0 The huge build up followed by a blistering opening week had us believe it could potentially challenge Avatar. What we got instead was a perfectly respectable run, but also a lesson of sorts that the audience for SH films in general in Korea have a kind of upper limit. The antithesis to WoM driven films, the avenger films seems to subscribe to the philosophy of “live fast and die young” with fanboys driven by the fear of spoilers heading out in droves to watch en masse ASAP. Age of Ultron proved, if there was ever any doubt, that Korea are huge fans of Marvel. Assassination (2015) Lifetime admissions: 12,705,700 (currently the 9th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.97/10.0 Given the subject matter, the all-star cast and being released in the summer box office, there was never much doubt that this would become a 10M admission film. The film is set in 1933, when the temporary Korean government set plans to assassinate a high ranking Japanese official. By no means a bad film but lacking in memorable scenes with the success being more down to having a star-studded cast. Veteran (2015) Lifetime admissions: 13,414,009 (currently the 5th most attended film) Naver rating: 9.01/10.0 The last of the three films to enter the 10M admission club on the 25th day of release. Amazingly enough, the three films in this category were all 2015 releases and opened within 4 months of each other with Assassination and veteran competing head-to-head just one week apart with Rogue Nation thrown in in-between for good measure. Veteran’s subject matter is nothing new, being about a prosecutor going after a powerful corporate CEO who’s basically a maniac....nothing new there but the acting and directing is top notch making it one of the better films of this genre to watch. 6. 22 days The Thieves (2012) Lifetime admissions: 12,983,330 (currently the 7th most attended film) Naver rating: 7.60/10.0 Basically, an Oceans film set in Korea with Korean actors. Again, one of those films that was too big to fail. The quality of the film itself I found to be pretty mediocre in all honesty, and I hope they stop making these generic blockbuster movies with nonsensical one liners. 5-3. 19 days Train to Busan (2016) Lifetime admissions: 11,565,479 (currently the 14th most attended film) Naver rating: 8.59/10.0 Maybe best described as WWZ meets Snowpiercer, Train to busan is a highly enjoyable movie providing plenty of thrills and heartfelt moments when the occasion required. It was also a refreshing break from the period/crime noir films that Korean film industry seems to make ad nauseum. Late legs were somewhat disappointing but looked as a whole, it was a huge success for the genre it is. A Taxi driver (2017) Lifetime admissions: 12,186,356 (currently the 12th most attended film) Naver rating: 9.06/10.0 Seriously, yet another 10M admission film for Song Kang-ho. Depicting the events surrounding the Gwangju uprising and subsequent massacre in 1980, Song Kang-ho plays a taxi driver to a german reporter Jurgen Hintzpeter, who went to Korea to cover the events unfolding there at great risk to his own safety. Showing a deft mix of humor and sadness, it was a welcome reminder of the role the real life German journalist played to broadcast the atrocities that were occurring in Gwangju. Without his aid, the truth of that day may have been buried by the government. It's also a sharp reminder of the cost in blood of democracy in the Republic of Korea. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Lifetime admissions: 10,000,000.. (currently the 21st most attended film) Naver rating: 8.97/10.0 The fastest foreign release the 5th foreign release overall to reach the milestone. Some may say that it is only performing as was expected, but that is a huge disservice to the people at Marvel who created a whole new franchise and universe from scratch to get into this position which they now find themselves. One has only to look at Sony and to an extent DC, to see that creating a successful franchise is easier said than done. Congratulations on a fantastic result! 2. 16 days Along with the gods: The Two Worlds (2017) Lifetime admissions: 14,411,047 (currently the 2nd most attended film) Naver rating: 7.88/10.0 The closest any film has gotten to the god-realm of Roaring Currents and it still fell comfortably short. Along with the gods deals with traditional Korean understanding of death, the afterlife and the spiritual realm. The film is choppy in parts but its strength comes from the hugely popular webtoon which it is based on as well as it being a bigger sum total than its parts. Overall worth a watch and gives cause for anticipation for its sequel this coming summer. 1. 12 days Roaring Currents (2014) Lifetime admissions: 17,613,682 (currently the 1st most attended film) Naver rating: 8.47/10.0 The final boss is here. Admiral Yi stomped on every record conceivable, his box office victory every bit as impressive as his victory over the Japanese in the film. [Fastest to 10M admissions] and [most admission overall], I think these two records will be very hard to topple but it’ll be very exciting to see it happen when it does. For those unfamiliar with Admiral Yi, he’s perhaps the most revered historical figure in Korea after King Sejong the great, and is most famous for defeating the Japanese with an inferior fighting force in the battle of Myungryang and for the peculiar design of his warships which were shaped like a turtle. He's kind of like the Korean Francis drake for those more well versed in English history. Edited June 8, 2018 by Fish&chips 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 (edited) Avengers: Infinity War Sunday Box Office (5/13) Admissions: 289,396 (weekly drop -60.8%) Gross: $2.56M Total Admissions: 10,132,402 Total Gross: $84.6M Presales: 27,909 (16.5%) Edited May 13, 2018 by Fish&chips 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmandeep Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Roaring current is one of the best naval battle movies I seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Deadpool 2 has passed 100k adm. in presales with 2 days to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Ryan Reynolds has been busy in Korea appearing in premiers, interviews and even a televised singing contest. He's said all the right things too and his social standing has gone up significantly. Good platform for Deadpool 2 to thrive in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olive Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 I'd say most of the all-time hits of Korea are good movies in quality, not like the ones in China are mostly mediocre or terrible. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Proxima Olive said: I'd say most of the all-time hits of Korea are good movies in quality, not like the ones in China are mostly mediocre or terrible. I think Chinese film-making is still young. Once enough history and know-how is established though China will have the resources to make some really great films 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aristis Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 23 hours ago, Fish&chips said: And finally... Thank you for that countdown! i love your analysis and insights in Korean film industry. When I read that It's sad to think about Germany industry compared... I'll try to watch more Korean movies - I just saw the Host yet which I found a bit strange (may have been due to bad dubbing though and I should watch them with subtitles). Anyway, SK BO is one of the best and most interesting to follow! Thank you to all people posting here 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Aristis said: Thank you for that countdown! i love your analysis and insights in Korean film industry. When I read that It's sad to think about Germany industry compared... I'll try to watch more Korean movies - I just saw the Host yet which I found a bit strange (may have been due to bad dubbing though and I should watch them with subtitles). Anyway, SK BO is one of the best and most interesting to follow! Thank you to all people posting here Cheers mate enjoyed making it. Bong joon-ho, who directed <The Host> has a pretty unique style so I understand how people could find his films a little strange. There are usually layers of meaning and allegorical references in his films that may be difficult to catch on first glance. I'd recommend <Train to busan> as it seems to be the one that foreign audiences responded positively to as well. I'll be honest I'm not too aware of German films, the last fully german film I watched was <Miracle of berne> which was pretty great football fans should definitely watch this one. If you have any gems to recommend though that would be much appreciated. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmandeep Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 The most famous German movie is Downfall and thats due to the meme. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Train to Busan I found it a quite average movie, but it’s true that foreign audiences respond to the movie very well. And I still would recommend it, if only for the performances of the supporting cast, especially Ma Dong Seok, who hands down, gave the best performance as well as having the best character in that movie. Wasn’t too fond of the male lead but he was serviceable. I also think they nailed the atmosphere and utilize well the train settings to the movie’s advantages. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 10 minutes ago, Lordmandeep said: The most famous German movie is Downfall and thats due to the meme. Oh gosh, I googled it and I admit I do know the meme. Is it any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 17 minutes ago, Sam said: Train to Busan I found it a quite average movie, but it’s true that foreign audiences respond to the movie very well. And I still would recommend it, if only for the performances of the supporting cast, especially Ma Dong Seok, who hands down, gave the best performance as well as having the best character in that movie. Wasn’t too fond of the male lead but he was serviceable. I also think they nailed the atmosphere and utilize well the train settings to the movie’s advantages. Good breakdown. Are there any films you'd recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olive Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Taiguki , Ode to My Father and The Attorney are my top 3 among 10-million club. I hear that I Can Speak starring Mrs. Na Mun-hee is very good, but I have yet to see it. PS. Grandma Na has a lot of fans in China thanks to Highkick series. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Monday Box Office (5/14) Admissions: 78,012 (weekly drop -84.9%) Gross: $0.67M Total Admissions: 10,211,512 Total Gross: $85.3M Presales: 25,638 (11.3%) Deadpool presales: 147,062 (64.9%) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UserHN Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, Proxima Olive said: Taiguki , Ode to My Father and The Attorney are my top 3 among 10-million club. I hear that I Can Speak starring Mrs. Na Mun-hee is very good, but I have yet to see it. PS. Grandma Na has a lot of fans in China thanks to Highkick series. Na Moon Hee won the Blue Dragon and Baeksang Best Actress for her role. I suddenly became curious with the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UserHN Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 Just now, Fish&chips said: Avengers: Infinity War Monday Box Office (5/14) Admissions: 78,012 (weekly drop -84.9%) Gross: $0.67M Total Admissions: 10,211,512 Total Gross: $85.3M Presales: 25,638 (11.3%) Deadpool presales: 147,062 (64.9%) That's a really steep drop. Is last Monday a holiday in SK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabiopazzo2 Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 1 minute ago, UserHN said: That's a really steep drop. Is last Monday a holiday in SK? Yes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish&chips Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 9 minutes ago, Proxima Olive said: Taiguki , Ode to My Father and The Attorney are my top 3 among 10-million club. I hear that I Can Speak starring Mrs. Na Mun-hee is very good, but I have yet to see it. PS. Grandma Na has a lot of fans in China thanks to Highkick series. That's very interesting to know. I'll definitely put that on the list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...