 |
| ▲ This still from Japanese animated film "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island" is provided by Daewon Media. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Japanese animated film "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island" is expected to continue its box-office run this weekend after holding on to the top spot at the South Korean box office.
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticket sales system Friday, "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island" drew more than 35,000 moviegoers Thursday, accounting for 27.3 percent of total box-office revenue, to rank first at the box office.
The film, which opened Sept. 30, has attracted more than 1.45 million viewers cumulatively and is expected to surpass 1.5 million this weekend.
Based on popular characters created by Japanese manga artist Nagano, the film follows Chiikawa and friends on an adventure to a mysterious mermaid island.
The film is characterized by a unique world in which unpredictable events unfold despite the cute appearance of its characters.
Filmmaker Hur Jin-ho's "Assassins" ranked second, drawing more than 23,000 viewers Thursday and accounting for 17.0 percent of box-office revenue. The film, released Sept. 23, has attracted more than 3.109 million viewers cumulatively.
The film, which follows the investigation into the suspicions and people behind the 1974 assassination attempt on Yuk Young-soo, wife of then-President Park Chung-hee, surpassed 3 million viewers despite becoming embroiled in controversy over alleged historical distortion following its release.
"Tazza: The Song of the Devil" ranked third at the domestic box office, drawing more than 16,000 viewers for a 12.5 percent share. Its cumulative audience stood at more than 1.81 million.
"Odyssey," which opened Aug. 5 and has enjoyed a long run at the box office, ranked fourth after attracting more than 8,000 viewers Thursday.
As of 9 a.m. Friday, "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island" was also leading advance ticket sales, accounting for 38.8 percent of reservations, or more than 118,000 advance ticket buyers.
"Odyssey" ranked second with 8.4 percent, or more than 25,000 advance ticket buyers, followed by "Assassins" with 6.0 percent, or more than 18,000, and "Tazza: The Song of the Devil" with 5.5 percent, or more than 16,000.
[Copyright ⓒ K-VIBE. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are prohibited.]
