SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- Director Yeon Sang-ho’s new film "The Ugly" topped the local box office on its opening day, ending the 20-day reign of the Japanese anime "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle."

According to the Korean Film Council, "The Ugly," starring Park Jeong-min, drew about 35,000 viewers Thursday, accounting for 22.6 percent of total sales.

"Demon Slayer," which had led the box office since its Aug. 22 release, slipped to second with around 33,000 admissions, though it still commanded a 24.1 percent revenue share and has now amassed 4.13 million viewers.

Based on Yeon’s own graphic novel, "The Ugly" follows Dong-hwan, the son of a blind seal engraver, who uncovers the mystery behind his mother’s death decades earlier. Park plays both Dong-hwan and the younger version of his father, alongside co-stars Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-been, Im Sung-jae and Han Ji-hyun. The low-budget film was shot over three weeks with a crew of about 20.

Third place went to the thriller "Murderer Report," starring Cho Yeo-jeong and Jung Sung-il, which drew 13,000 viewers.

As of 9 a.m. Friday, Park Chan-wook’s upcoming film "No Other Choice," set for release Sept. 24, led the reservation chart with 181,000 advance sales and a 30.3 percent share. "Demon Slayer" ranked second with 21.9 percent, followed by "The Ugly" with 7.4 percent.

[Copyright ⓒ K-VIBE. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are prohibited.]