Korea Box Office: ‘Tenet’ Wins Weekend, but Difficulties for Exhibitors Increase

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe number of feature film production in South Korea dropped in the first eight months, as the coronavirus disrupted travel, commerce and finance.According to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the number of films made dropped from 23 between January and August last year, to just 18 in 2020.The country was one of the first to be hit by the virus outbreak, but with the exception of a few notable hot spots, seemed to have good success at quashing the spread

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefBTS feature-length documentary film “Break The Silence: The Movie” has been given a new date to release in Korean theaters. It had been delayed by problems associated with the coronavirus.The film will now arrive in cinemas on Sept.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefAsia’s biggest annual film festival in Busan, South Korea is to be postponed by two weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. And organizers warned that the festival could still be canceled outright.At a meeting Friday between the festival’s board of directors and the city authorities, it was decided to shift the event backwards.

South Korea will be this year's country of honor at international TV confab MIPCOM, honoring the global success of Korean television drama and reality formats. Korean shiny floor competition show The Masked Singer has been one of the most successful formats worldwide in recent years —the U.S.

BTS was showered with wishes after the K-pop group became the first Korean act to top Billboard's Hot 100. The septet achieved the milestone with its recently released song Dynamite.

The last time we sensed this energy, it was when Parasite won the Oscars for Best Picture. Our timelines were filled with congratulatory messages from fans of the industry and Korean actors.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaPoorly recorded, pirated versions of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” leaked online last week. Both are camcorded copies of negligible quality — at least one has Korean subtitles and another has German subtitles.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorKorea’s recent coronavirus resurgence has already taken a toll on the box office over the past two weekends, and exhibitors are now feeling a further pinch. According to the Yonhap news agency, Lotte Cultureworks, which includes multiplex chain Lotte Cinema, said it will offer voluntary retirement to employees who have been with the company for at least five years.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHollywood blockbuster “Tenet” opened on top of the Korean box office, but its performance is declining as the coronavirus makes a comeback in the country. Releases of other films, including “Mulan,” are now being postponed or halted.Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” began its commercial career in the world’s fourth largest theatrical market on Wednesday earning $596,000 from 2,228 screens, according to data from the Korean Film Council’s KOBIZ system.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterSong Kang-ho, the star of Oscar sensation Parasite and the 2013 feature Snowpiercer, will lead the cast of Korean feature Broker. The film marks the Korean directing debut of Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose previous credits include the Palme d’Or-winning and Oscar-nomianted 2018 drama Shoplifters.Also starring in Broker will be Gang Dong-won and Bae Doona.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefSong Kang-ho, star of Oscar-winner “Parasite,” will head the cast of “Baby, Box, Broker,” the Korean-language debut of “Shoplifters” director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Rounding out a stellar acting lineup are Bae Doona (“Cloud Atlas,” “The Host”) and Gang Dong-won (“Peninsula,” “The Priests”).The film takes as its starting point boxes that are left out for people to anonymously drop off their unwanted babies.