“First ever #1 in 93 countries, all-kill”… ‘Ogame2’ unprecedented box office success, stark contrast ‘likes and dislikes’

Netflix original series ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 is sweeping global popularity charts immediately after its release, showing off its reputation as a ‘mega hit’. In proportion to the hot interest and expectations, there are distinct likes and dislikes and sharp criticisms. Behind the favorable reviews that it has successfully expanded Season 1, there are also harsh criticisms that it is a ‘sequel that lacks creativity’. ○‘All-time’ box office performance from the start According to FlixPatrol, ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 ranked first in 92 of the 93 countries where Netflix is available, excluding New Zealand, immediately after its release on the 26th. Public

‘Harbin’ Park Jung-min “I couldn‘t imagine the burden Hyun Bin, who played Ahn Jung-geun, must have felt... I apologize belatedly”[Interview]

Actor Park Jung-min, who played the role of independence activist and essayist Song Mong-gyu in the 2016 film ‘Dongju’, which introduced him to the audience, once felt a sense of burden and wondered, “Will I ever be able to play a great real-life figure again?”. However, in ‘Harbin’, which was released on the 24th, he took on the role of a real-life figure and independence activist again after 8 years and delivered an unforgettable performance. In ‘Harbin’, Park Jung-min, who played Woo Deok-soon, a comrade who was the greatest supporter of Ahn Jung-geun as he headed to Harbin for an uprising in 1909, said, “Before reading the script for ‘Harbin’, I realized that independence fighters were also someone‘s children, husbands, and family.

[2024 Film Industry Settlement] No Laughs Even with 10 Million Movies… ‘Hachuping’ and Other Reversal Hits

If I were to summarize the trend of Korean films this year in one word, it would be ‘hyper-polarization’. Two Korean films, ‘The Graveyard’ and ‘The Outlaws 4’, achieved the feat of attracting over 10 million viewers, but as anticipated films failed one after another at the box office, the polarization between ‘super hit’ and ‘fail’ was truly extreme. Despite the extremely poor box office odds hanging over the entire industry, domestic animations such as ‘Love‘s Hatchuping’, live performance films, and documentaries succeeded in becoming ‘real box office hits’, showing a new way out of the crisis. The films ‘The Graveyard’ and ‘The Outlaws 4’ attracted 11.91 million and 11.5 million viewers, respectively.

Do Kyung-soo, etc. cancel ‘Secret That Cannot Be Told’ tip-off meeting… Jeju Air passenger plane accident aftermath [Official]

Do Kyung-soo and others cancel the production report meeting for the movie ‘Secret That Can‘t Be Told’… Aftermath of the Jeju Air passenger plane crash [Official] The production report meeting for the movie ‘Secret That Can’t Be Told’ has been canceled. On the 29th, ‘Secret That Can‘t Be Told’ production report meeting for the movie ‘Secret That Can’t Be Told’ that was scheduled to be held at Megabox COEX at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 30th has been canceled. Director Seo Yoo-min and lead actors Do Kyung-soo, Won Jin-ah, and Shin Ye-eun were scheduled to attend the event. They asked for the understanding of the press and expressed their deepest condolences to the victims, saying, “We express our deepest condolences to the Jeju Air Flight 2216 accident and hope that the situation is resolved quickly.” At around 9:03 am that day, a Jeju Air passenger plane attempted a body landing at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province after failing to lower its landing gear, skidding of

‘Wicked’ Surpasses 2 Million [DA:Box]

‘Wicked’ Surpasses 2 Million [DA:Box] The movie ‘Wicked’ (Import/Distribution: Universal Pictures) has surpassed 2 million moviegoers in the midst of a close competition at the end of the year. According to the Integrated Computer Network for Movie Tickets, the movie ‘Wicked’ surpassed 2,008,854 cumulative moviegoers as of the 28th (Sat), achieving another box office success in just 39 days since its release on the 20th (Wed) of last month. This work is expected to not only join the ranks of foreign box office hits in 2024, following ‘Inside Out 2’, ‘Wonka’, and ‘Moana 2’, but also soon surpass ‘Dune: Part 2’, which mobilized 2,019,129 people, and become one of the top 4 foreign box office hits in 2024. ‘Wicked’ has garnered the second-highest box office revenue of any Broadway musical film worldwide, following ‘Mamma Mia!’ (2008), which grossed $611.5 million. The box office magic of ‘Wicked’, which is soon to surpass $600 million in cumulative box office revenue worldwide, is expecte

‘Firefighter’ Surpasses 3 Million [DA:Box]

‘Firefighter’ Surpasses 3 Million [DA:Box] The movie ‘Firefighter’ surpassed 3 million viewers on Friday, December 27th, the 24th day since its release. According to the integrated computer network for movie theater tickets, ‘Firefighter’ surpassed 3 million on the 24th day since its release as of 9:50 am on Friday, the 27th. ‘Firefighter’ is the fifth Korean movie to surpass 3 million viewers in 2024, following ‘The Grave’, ‘The Outlaws 4’, ‘Veteran 2’, and ‘Pilot’. Along with the news of surpassing 3 million, thank-you messages were revealed. Lead actors Joo Won, Lee Yoo-young, Kim Min-jae, Oh Dae-hwan, Lee Joon-hyuk, Jang Young-nam, and director Kwak Kyung-taek drew attention with their sincere thanks. The sincere gratitude from the ‘Firefighter’ team to the audience who showed their warm love for the movie ‘Firefighter’ allows us to get a glimpse of their love for the movie. Meanwhile, the movie ‘Firefighter’ is continuously conducting the ‘119 Won Donation Challenge’, in which eac

IU Sangam Concert Emotional Theater Again… Opening at CGV in January 2025 [Official]

IU‘s Sangam Concert Emotional Theater Again... CGV Release in January 2025 [Official] IU’s second concert live film and the final chapter of IU‘s first world tour in 2024, ‘IU Concert: The Winning’, has confirmed its release in January 2025. ‘IU Concert: The Winning’ is a work that vividly brings to the screen IU’s 100th concert ‘HEREH ENCORE: THE WINNING’, held on September 21st and 22nd, 2024. ‘2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT & ENCORE: THE WINNING’ is IU‘s first world tour concert that started in Seoul and has been held for about 6 months since March. Previously, IU was the first female solo singer to enter the KSPO Dome in 2019 and the first female solo artist to perform at the main stadium of the 2022 Olympics. She will fill the Seoul World Cup Stadium in 2024 and live up to the title of ‘the first female solo singer to conquer two large stadiums’, and will hold a historic performance.

Song Hye-kyo‘s impulsive behavior + bold appearance... ‘Black Nuns’ is intense

Song Hye-kyo‘s impulsive behavior + unstoppable appearance... ‘The Nuns’ is intense The making-of video of the movie ‘The Nuns’ has been released. ‘The Nuns’, the sequel to ‘The Priests’, is a movie that depicts the story of people who undertake a forbidden ritual to save a boy possessed by a powerful evil spirit. The video that was released this time captures the delicate production process from the actors’ efforts to immerse themselves in the characters to the completion of the movie. First, Oh Hyo-jin, the production director of House Film, explained that the story of ‘The Nuns’ began with the question, “The 12 Forms have reappeared in Korea, but what should we do if ‘Choi Jun-ho’ and ‘Kim Bum-shin’, who have performed exorcisms, are not there?”. Lee Jin-wook said, “There are many movies about exorcisms, but I think this is the first time I‘ve seen a movie with nuns as the main characters performing a ritual.“ The unique setting of two nuns who are not permitted to exorcise in the a

Song Joong-ki, first entertainment show appearance in 10 years ‘PR Fairy’

“Please take a look!” Song Joong-ki has been reborn as a ‘passionate PR fairy’. After many twists and turns, Song Joong-ki is appearing on entertainment programs that he had been avoiding in the past in order to prepare for the movie ‘Bogota: Land of Last Chance’, which will be released on the 31st. His appearance on an entertainment program will be his first in 10 years since ‘Running Man’ in 2016. “I didn‘t know it had been that long (since I appeared on an entertainment program). More than anything, I want to do my best to greet you with a movie that is being released in theaters after a long time. I do this because I received money invested by other people. I think it would be irresponsible to do it only with personal desires without caring about that.”

‘Father of Two Children’ Song Joong-ki “Sense of Responsibility Grows”

Song Joong-ki (39) does not rest on his laurels. He is not satisfied with the position he has reached so far and always dreams of something new. If you put it nicely, he has a strong sense of challenge, and if you look at it crookedly, he is full of desire. The movie ‘Bogota: Land of Last Chance’ (directed by Kim Sung-je, Bogota), which will be released on the 31st, is a work that stimulated Song Joong-ki‘s usual temperament and nature. People around him say it was an “unexpected choice”, but he said, “I’m not the type to regret not doing something, rather it‘s better to try something and regret it later”. ‘Bogota’ is about a family that lost everything right after the IMF and left for Bogota, Colombia in search of hope.

‘Harbin’ 840,000 people on Christmas alone… 1.25 million viewers in just 2 days of release

The movie ‘Harbin’ mobilized 840,000 viewers during the Christmas holidays, surpassing 1.25 million cumulative viewers in just two days since its release. This is a record that surpasses the score of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (772,960 viewers on Christmas Day), and has set a new record for the highest number of viewers on Christmas Day since the pandemic. In particular, the box office on Christmas Day was approximately 1.5 million, the largest daily box office this year, and there is a response that ‘Harbin’ led the expansion of the daily box office. As such, attention is focused on the movie ‘Harbin’ continuing its strong box office success amid the enthusiastic response from the audience. ‘Harbin’ is currently showing to rave reviews, depicting the breathtaking pursuit and suspicion between those who head to Harbin for one purpose and those who pursue them in 1909. Reporter Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com jhj@donga.com

Yoon Ga-i, shedding the ‘SNL’ label and becoming an actor… including Park Chan-wook’s new film

Yoon Ga-i is shedding the ‘SNL’ label and showing off his presence as an ‘actor’. Having made his face and name known through Coupang Play‘s ‘SNL Korea’, he is drawing attention by showing off his outstanding acting skills through dramas without being caught up in his entertainment image. He joined the crew of ‘SNL Korea’ Season 4 last year and was active enough to win the Rookie of the Year award at the Blue Dragon Series Awards. He recently appeared as a ‘scene stealer’ in ‘Family Plan’, which became the highest-grossing Coupang Play original series of all time. Yoon Ga-i plays the role of Mi-ok, the leader of a runaway gang and the confidant of Director Oh Gil-ja (played by Kim Gook-hee), who commits extremely evil deeds.

Excluding posters, events, and interviews… ‘Ogame2’ Top, casting is OK, but promotion is NO

While Netflix series ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 is garnering global attention early on with various promotions ahead of its release on the 26th, Choi Seung-hyun (TOP), a former member of group Big Bang who was listed as the ‘Main Cast’, is unable to enjoy the excitement alone as he is excluded from various events. This is because Choi Seung-hyun, who returned through a global mega hit despite public criticism due to his drug use record, is the only one who is being thoroughly excluded from promotions due to director Hwang Dong-hyeok‘s insistence. Choi Seung-hyun received a suspended sentence for drug charges in 2017 and suspended his activities. In the drama, he lost a large sum of money through a coin investment and is facing death.

‘Harbin’ Surpasses 1 Million Viewers in Two Days of Release [Entertainment News HOT]

The blockbuster ‘Harbin’ starring Hyun Bin has surpassed 1 million viewers in just two days since its release. According to the integrated computer network for movie tickets on the 25th, ‘Harbin’ surpassed 1,010,740 cumulative viewers that afternoon. According to distributor CJ ENM, this is the fastest time to reach 1 million viewers among winter movies of all time. It is the same speed as ‘The Outlaws 2’ and ‘The Outlaws 4’, which were released in 2022 and April of this year, respectively. ‘Harbin’ depicts the journey of Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) as he sets out to assassinate Ito Hirobumi (Lily Frankie), the first Resident-General of the Government-General of Korea. Directed by Woo Min-ho of ‘Inside Men’ ‘The Man Standing Next’

‘Harbin’ Surpasses 1 Million Viewers in 2 Days of Release

The movie ‘Harbin’ has surpassed 1 million viewers in just two days since its release on Wednesday, December 25th. ‘Harbin’ surpassed 1 million viewers on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 25th, the second day of its release, according to the Integrated Computer Network for Movie Ticket Distribution. This is the same speed as the South Korean hit series ‘The Outlaws 2’ and ‘The Outlaws 4’, and a faster speed than ‘Avatar: Waterfront’ (surpassed 1 million viewers in 3 days). ‘Harbin’ is receiving much attention from audiences looking for movies to watch during the holiday season, and is recording monumental advance ticket sales every day. It is also gaining popularity among Korean audiences as a ‘must-see movie in theaters’. ‘Harbin’ is a film that depicts a breathtaking chase and suspicion between those heading to Harbin in 1909 with a single purpose and those chasing them, and is currently showing to great acclaim. Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com reporter jhj@donga.com

‘Harbin’, ‘Spring in Seoul’…1st Place in Korean Film Openings in December after the Pandemic

The movie “Harbin” took an overwhelming first place at the box office on its first day of release on Tuesday, December 24. According to the Integrated Computer Network for Movie Tickets, “Harbin” recorded 381,536 viewers on its first day of release on Tuesday, December 24. This is the highest opening score for a Korean movie in December since the pandemic, and it surpassed the 10 million movie “Avatar: The Water Path” (359,787 viewers), signaling the revival of Korean movies that will shake up the winter tentpole market. In addition, it is encouraging that it surpassed the opening scores of recent Korean hits that have attracted over 10 million viewers, such as “Spring in Seoul” (Opening: 219,445 viewers) and “The Grave” (Opening: 336,129). ‘Harbin’ is maintaining an overwhelming number 1 spot in advance ticket sales along with an all-time high opening box office. ‘Harbin’ is a film that depicts a breathtaking chase and suspicion between those heading to Harbin for a single purpose in

After the ‘MeToo craze’… ‘Director Kim Ki-duk‘s actress’ Ok-hee’s fight is ongoing [DA: Exclusive Interview]

“Life is like a blessing in disguise.”For actress Ok-hee (pseudonym), the year 2024 will end with ‘Blessing of the World’. The greeting on her Facebook account (Ok-hee) reads, “Through a long lawsuit, I have confirmed that the misconception of those who believe it is okay to look down on people and exploit them is wrong. I am the actress who sued film director Kim Ki-duk.” Ok-hee ended her long fight this year with the MBC correction and rebuttal report regarding the media‘s false report about the ‘Actress sexually assaulted by Kim Ki-duk.”After recognizing that there were problems with the MBC PD Notebook report, I started a lawsuit against the media for false reports in 2019 to correct them. Coincidentally, the lawsuit against the media for false reports was concluded with the MBC correction and rebuttal report, which led me to decide to file the lawsuit.”December 11th marked the 4th anniversary of director Kim Ki-duk’s death. He died of COVID-19 complications in Latvia on this day f

Hyunwoo Seok, a promising star who was first noticed by the film festival

Rookie Hyun Woo-seok has grown into a promising star in Chungmuro this year. He has steadily expanded his acting skills by appearing in various genres and independent films that have been recognized for their artistic quality, showing increasingly mature performances. Let‘s take a look at the foundations that Hyun Woo-seok has calmly built. First of all, Hyun Woo-seok built his foundation with the movie ‘Dolphin’, which was released last March. In the movie ‘Dolphin’, Hyun Woo-seok plays the role of Seong-woon, a high school senior with many worries who wants to run away to Seoul. He gave the audience time to catch their breath and think with his delicate acting as a high school senior who wants to try new things, unlike his older sister Na-young (played by Kwon Yu-ri), who is stuck between reality and his ideals, and increased the perfection of the play. In May, the movie ‘Time to Cheer Up’, which conveyed strength to everyone as its title suggests, won three awards at the 25th Jeonju

The late Kim Soo-mi, whom we miss… Stills from the filming of ‘Ghost Police’ revealed

The movie ‘Ghost Cop’ has caught attention by revealing stills from the filming site that were full of laughter. The movie ‘Ghost Cop’ is a family comedy about a cop who gains minor abilities after being struck by lightning out of the blue after failing to make a fortune and getting entangled in unexpected incidents with his family. The first family comedy ‘Ghost Cop’, which will be hitting theaters in the new year of 2025, has released stills of Shin Hyun-joon and the late Kim Soo-mi taking a short break from the filming site. The cuts of them sitting side by side with bright smiles really resemble a hat. Shin Hyun-joon holding a donut and Kim Soo-mi enjoying tea time in a tumbler are cute, and it makes you miss them because you can‘t see them anymore. On this day in particular, the donuts tasted even better because they were snacks that Kim Soo-mi had personally prepared for Shin Hyun-joon, and his smile also felt even happier. Shin Hyun-joon also showed his longing for Kim Soo-mi by

‘Bogota’ Song Joong-ki “My wife is adjusting well to life in Korea, she‘s cute when she gives directions” [DA:Interview②]

‘Bogota’ Song Joong-ki “My wife is adjusting well to life in Korea, she‘s cute when she gives me directions” [DA: Interview ②] Actor Song Joong-ki, who is in an international marriage, showed his sincerity in studying foreign languages. On the morning of the 23rd, Song Joong-ki expressed his passion for studying languages during an interview for the movie ‘Bogota: Land of Last Chance’ held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Song Joong-ki, who challenged himself to act in Spanish through ‘Bogota: Land of Last Chance’, which is set in Bogota, Colombia. He said, “It was difficult. But fortunately, I enjoyed Spanish a little more than Italian in the drama ‘Vincenzo’. They are both languages that come from Latin, so they are similar, but the rhythm of Spanish suits me better”. It was edited a lot, but there was a lot of dialogue in Spanish. I wasn’t just memorizing it, but I was greedy and ad-libbed appropriately. It was difficult, but it was quite fun. He also confessed, “I also felt a sense o