A high-budget Korean film, "Yadang" (야당), with a production cost of 13 billion KRW, is currently dominating the local box office. This R-rated crime action movie has maintained its number one position for seven consecutive days since its release on April 16th. Remarkably, "Yadang" is experiencing a surge in popularity in its second week, attracting even more viewers than its opening week, signaling a refreshing trend in the Korean film industry.
According to the Korea Film Council's integrated ticket sales network, "Yadang" drew 91,360 moviegoers on April 22nd, securing its top spot at the box office. This figure represents an increase from the 82,247 viewers recorded the previous day and even surpasses its opening day score of 85,705. The film's cumulative audience has now reached 962,096, inching closer to the coveted milestone of one million viewers.
This phenomenon of a film outperforming its opening week numbers in its second week is known in the industry as "gaessaragi" (개싸라기), which translates to "scattered rice grains" but metaphorically signifies a strong, word-of-mouth driven success. It is considered a significant indicator of potential long-term box office success. Previous films that went on to surpass the ten million viewer mark, such as "12.12: The Day" (서울의 봄) and "Exhuma" (파묘), also exhibited this "gaessaragi" trend.
The success of "Yadang" is particularly noteworthy considering its April release, typically regarded as an off-peak season for theaters. Despite competition from other notable releases like "Holy Night: Demon Hunters," "Minecraft Movie," and "Pavane" (파과), "Yadang" has reclaimed the top spot in real-time ticket reservations.
As of 8:25 AM on April 23rd, "Yadang" leads the real-time reservation chart with over 51,000 tickets, followed by "Holy Night: Demon Hunters" with approximately 50,000, "Minecraft Movie" with around 45,000, and "Pavane" with roughly 40,000.
The film has also garnered critical acclaim and popular support, evidenced by its high Naver audience rating of 9.19 out of 10 as of April 23rd. Viewers have lauded the film, describing it as "the best movie I've seen this year," "completely immersive and time flew by," and even "slightly more entertaining than 'The Outlaws' (범죄도시)."
However, being an R-rated film, some viewers have cautioned about potentially uncomfortable scenes, advising against watching it with parents.
The performances, especially that of actor Kang Ha-neul, have been widely praised. One viewer commented on Kang's nuanced portrayal, noting the changes in his manner of speaking depending on the situation and his counterpart. Another expressed exhilaration, stating it was the kind of movie that demands a theatrical experience and lauded Kang Ha-neul's acting, hoping for more crime action films of this caliber.
Meanwhile, "The Match" (승부) maintained its second-place position at the box office, drawing 11,962 viewers on the same day, bringing its cumulative audience to 2,022,884. Having already surpassed its break-even point of 1.8 million viewers, "The Match" continues its steady run. "Attack on Titan The Final Chapters -The Last Attack-" (극장판 진격의 거인 완결편 더 라스트 어택) climbed to third place, attracting 2,799 viewers with a total of over 758,000.
Directed by Hwang Byeong-guk and starring Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-joon, Ryu Kyung-soo, and Chae Won-bin, "Yadang" revolves around the intricate relationships between "Yadang," a broker orchestrating the Korean drug trade, a prosecutor aiming for higher power, and a detective staking everything on dismantling drug crimes, all with their own distinct agendas.
As echoed in a viewer's comment, "The performances of the trustworthy veteran actors Yoo Hae-jin, Kang Ha-neul, and Park Hae-joon truly shine, enhancing the film's immersion." Another viewer praised the synergy of the three lead actors and, despite acknowledging the somewhat excessive violence, lauded the tight storyline and engaging pacing.
With a production budget of approximately 13 billion KRW, "Yadang" needs to reach around 2.5 million viewers to break even. While it is nearing the one million mark, continued strong performance is crucial for profitability. However, the enthusiastic audience reception and the "gaessaragi" trend, where the second-week performance surpasses the opening week, fuel high expectations for the film's future success.
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