'Once We Were Us' gains ground in box office, competing with 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'

연합뉴스 / 2026-01-09 09:30:12

▲ This poster of South Korean melodrama film “Once We Were Us”, starring Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young, is provided by Showbox. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- The melodrama film “Once We Were Us”, starring Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young, is expected to go head-to-head with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” at the weekend box office.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box-office system on Friday, “Once We Were Us” attracted about 58,000 moviegoers the previous day, taking first place at the domestic box office with a 28.5 percent share of total revenue.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which had held the top spot continuously since its release on Dec. 17 last year, has ceded the lead to “Once We Were Us” since Jan. 7. The film drew about 47,000 viewers the previous day (29.3 percent revenue share), bringing its cumulative audience to approximately 5.763 million.

Third place at the domestic box office went to “Zootopia 2,” which attracted about 22,000 viewers (10.6 percent revenue share). Its total audience has reached roughly 8.18 million, and while the pace of growth has slowed, it continues to steadily add viewers.

“The Band of God,” starring Jung Jin-woon and Kim Si-hoo, drew about 15,000 viewers to rank fourth, while “Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight,” based on the Japanese novel of the same name, attracted around 13,000 viewers to place fifth.

As of 9 a.m. Friday, advance ticket sales still favored “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” with about 128,000 reservations and a booking rate of 32.0 percent.

“Once We Were Us” ranked second with approximately 68,000 advance reservations (17.1 percent), while “Heart Man,” starring Kwon Sang-woo and Moon Chae-won and set for release on next Wednesday, placed third with about 26,000 reservations (6.6 percent).