SEOUL, Aug 21 (Yonhap) – South Korean action thriller “Deliver Us From Evil” became the country’s most-watched movie this summer, edging out the performance of zombie apocalypse feature “Peninsula,” data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) showed Thursday.
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The combined number of spectators for “Evil”, with Hwang Jung-min and Lee Jung-jae, reached 3.87 million Wednesday, exceeding the total of 3.79 million tickets sold for “Peninsula”, according to the KOFIC.
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To date, “The Man Standing Next”, starring Lee Byung-hun, remains the highest grossing film this year, with 4.75 million viewers since its theatrical release in January.
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However, “Evil” might struggle to maintain its momentum through the rest of the summer, as the government implemented stricter social distancing guidelines in the Seoul metropolitan area due to the rapid growth in the number of transmissions of the new coronavirus (Covid-19).
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The cinema industry is also adapting to new government directives, the CGV chain of cinemas having lowered the maximum number of spectators during screenings to 50%.
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In parallel, “Peninsula” will make its arrival in the United States on Friday (local time) in 126 theaters across the country, including on 59 IMAX screens. The film will be titled “Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula” on the North American continent.
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According to South Korean distributor NEW, “Peninsula,” the sequel to director Yeon Sang-ho’s 2016 hit, “Last Train to Busan,” has grossed more than $ 50 million at the global box office since its release in Canada. South Korea in mid-July.
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