▲ This image, provided by CGV, shows one of the multiplex chain's cinemas in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Amid the box office hegemony of film "Veteran 2 (I, the Executioner)," directed by Ryu Seung-wan, the number of theatergoers during this year's Chuseok holiday surged by 50% compared to last year.

 

According to the Korea Film Council's integrated ticketing system on the 19th, around 4.66 million people visited theaters during the five-day holiday period (Sept. 14–18). This marks a 49.7% increase from the 3.11 million attendees during last year’s six-day Chuseok holiday (Sept. 28–Oct. 3).

 

Although the figure is still 9.2% lower than the 5.13 million who visited theaters during the four-day Chuseok holiday in 2019, before the pandemic, this year’s recovery to pre-pandemic levels is largely attributed to the success of Veteran 2. The film attracted 3.94 million viewers over the holiday, accounting for 84.5% of all theatergoers during that period. Essentially, 8 to 9 out of every 10 attendees watched Veteran 2.

 

Released on September 13 to coincide with the holiday, Veteran 2 has surpassed its breakeven point of 4 million viewers, reaching a total of 4.45 million admissions.

 

The film's dominance was also helped by the lack of strong competitors. Following last year’s Chuseok, when three films—Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman: Secret of Snowy Field, Boston 1947, and Cobweb—engaged in fierce competition but failed at the box office, major distributors avoided direct competition with Veteran 2 this year.

 

Most of the prime time theater slots during the holiday period were allocated to Veteran 2, with its screening share (the proportion of all showings dedicated to a particular film) reaching 67.3% over the five days.

 

Veteran 2 is the sequel to the 2015 hit Veteran, which attracted 13.41 million viewers. The film follows detective Seo Do-cheol (played by Hwang Jung-min), who, alongside rookie detective Park Sun-woo (played by Jung Hae-in), hunts down a serial killer. 

 

Directed once again by action master Ryu Seung-wan, the sequel has been praised for its dynamic action and the strong performances of Hwang and Jung, despite some criticism that the story’s pacing and energy fall short of the original.

 

 

 

 

 

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