Report
WONDER WOMAN 1984 Holds on for 4th Weekend
I AM WOMAN and #IAMHERE Debut Amid Continued Depression at Box Office
Business in theaters remains stubbornly low as the Korean economy continues to experience the effects of the 2.5 social distancing level enforced in the greater Seoul region. The weekend box office remains flat but was ever so slightly down, notching a new record low with 87,000 sales. With no major new local product for over a month, the domestic market share was down to 9%.
With a steady decline in COVID-19 cases over the past week, there was some hope that the 2.5 level, which requires that businesses (those allowed to operate) be shut at 9 pm, would lapse over the weekend. However, to maintain the downward trend, the measure has been extended for another two weeks, setting up another tough fortnight at the Korean box office.
Leading the charts for the fourth weekend on the trot was Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984. Easing 40%, the film added 15,000 viewers (USD 133,000), lifting its total to 534,000 admissions (USD 4.37 million).
The Australian music biopic I Am Woman kicked off its run in second place with 10,000 sales (USD 80,000) over the weekend and a total of 14,000 entries (USD 113,000) since its Thursday launch.
The French drama #iamhere, which features BAE Doo-na in a supporting role, opened in third place with 9,500 tickets sold (USD 73,000). The film, which debuted at the Busan International Film Festival in 2019, has filled 12,000 seats (USD 90,000) over four days.
The Danish film Blind debuted in fourth place with 7,500 sales (USD 65,000) over the weekend and 11,000 admissions (USD 86,000) in total.
Rounding out the top five was the remastered version of WONG Kar-wai’s classic In the Mood for Love. The film added 7,000 spectators (USD 60,000) over the frame, raising its total to
89,000 entries (USD 700,000).
A major new release will finally enter the charts this week, in the form of Pixar’s Soul. While it is expected to top the charts and boost business, particularly with daytime crowds over the weekend, the continued 2.5 social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area will pose a significant obstacle.
