COVID-19 prompts theaters to increase on-screen diversity
Donnie Yen Ji-Dan in film “Ip Man 4: The Finale” / Courtesy of Ziness Communication
Virus-hit movie theaters see strong presence of international films
By Kwak Yeon-soo
While major domestic and Hollywood films are being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese, European and South American films are filling the void to keep movie goers happy.
The number of people going to see a film here fell to a 16-year low last month due to lingering fears over the spread of the virus. According to data provided by the Korean Film Council, 1.83 million went to the cinema in March, down 87 percent from 14.67 million a year ago.
A total of 80,180 people visited movie theaters Saturday and Sunday, down sharply from 86,274 the weekend before.
Hong Kong martial arts film “Ip Man 4: The Finale,” which was released April 1, topped the local box office over this weekend, drawing in 15,866 viewers. It is a biopic of legendary Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man, best known as the teacher of Bruce Lee.
“What's shocking is that a slew of domestic films attracted audiences of less than 3,000 on Saturday and Sunday,” film analyst Kim Hyung-ho said. “Comprehensive emergency plans are needed to rescue cinema owners battered by COVID-19.”
Overall box office ticket sales have plunged with the openings of 75 domestic and foreign films being delayed, including Disney's live-action version of “Mulan.”
However, other international and arthouse films are seeing the hiatus as an opportunity to attract moviegoers.
Japanese films, which accounted for only 0.9 percent screenings in March last year, jumped to 3 percent last month.
In April, “What is Love?” “Pelican:74 Years of Japanese Tradition,” “Teacher and Stray Cat,” “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Inuyashiki” will be released in Korea.
Chinese fantasy martial arts film “Fairy's Hell Story” is set to hit local theaters April 14; and “Bao Zunshang, Just Come and Catch Me” will also be released in Korea, its distributor Activerse Entertainment confirmed.
Taiwanese romance-action flick “The Outsiders” and British comedy drama “Sometimes Always Never” were both released April 2.
Thai fantasy thriller “Homestay,” Bulgarian zombie thriller “Day of the Dead: Bloodline,” Colombian action thriller “Running With The Devil” and Finnish heavy metal comedy “Heavy Trip” are set for release later this month.
“International films, which wouldn't have had a chance of opening in multiplexes before, are being released in theaters,” an industry official said.
“In terms of on-screen diversity, audiences now have a wider choice of films. But international films are unlikely to become popular, as there are only 20,000 to 30,000 moviegoers daily nationwide.”
In their search of ways to keep screens running, multiplexes have been increasingly re-releasing past popular films.
Under the theme of “Lotte Cinema's Pick,” the multiplex chain is rescreening a list of movies, including “Bridget Jones's Diary,” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Minions.”
Megabox has launched its “Aniplus” event, screening 12 animated hits, including “Natsume's Book of Friends the Movie: Ephemeral Bond,” “Is the Order a Rabbit?” and “Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl.”