Chuseok film lineup falls flat as tentpole season loses distinction
Actors Hwang Jung-min, left, and Jung Hae-in play detectives in the upcoming action-crime film “I, the Executioner,” a sequel to 2015 hit cop movie “Veteran.” Courtesy of CJ ENM
Chuseok, Korea's harvest festival, has traditionally been one of the biggest seasons for the domestic film industry, along with Seollal (Lunar New Year), as major distributors used to release large-scale, star-studded films during these times to captivate large audiences.
However, this year's Chuseok long weekend, around the actual Chuseok falling on Sept. 17, won't see many big-budget films except for the action-crime “I, the Executioner,” a sequel to the 2015 hit cop movie “Veteran.”
This is in contrast to last year's starry lineup, which included three tentpole films — “Coweb,” starring Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho, CJ ENM's “Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman” featuring Gang Dong-won and Lotte Entertainment's “Road to Boston” with Yim Si-wan — on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday.
Published by CJ ENM, “I, the Executioner” stars Hwang Jung-min, one of Korea’s most bankable actors, alongside rising heartthrob Jung Hae-in. The action film follows Hwang and Jung's characters, both police officers, pursuing criminals.
Actor Hwang Jung-min comes back as detective Seo Do-cheol in “I, the Executioner,” a sequel to the 2015 hit cop movie “Veteran.” Courtesy of CJ ENM
Industry officials have speculated that other distributors decided not to release their films during this Chuseok to avoid competing with “I, the Executioner,” which has a massive fanbase from its first installment, drawing over 13 million viewers.
The film also garnered attention for being invited to the Midnight Screenings section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May, where it had its world premiere, raising expectations for its quality.
“The sequel was a sleeper hit. I can't say for sure, but I think other distributors may have strategically avoided releasing tentpole movies during the Chuseok season, as ‘I, the Executioner’ too will occupy the top spot at the box office for a long time unless something drastic happens,” a film industry official said.
“I, the Executioner” will be hit theaters in Korea on Friday, just before the holiday season begins.
“With more viewers consuming content through streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube, theaters aren't as crowded as they used to be. This may have influenced distributors to make strategic choices,” the official added.
Shift toward diversity
Film industry insiders also noted the audience these days is less focused on big-budget films but instead explores more genres than before.
According to box office data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), more variety of genres are now making it into the top 10 list. As of Tuesday, "Victory," a comedy film about teenage cheerleading girls in high school, took the top spot for the first time in its fourth week of release, edging out Disney's "Alien: Romulus."
Additionally, "IM HERO," a concert film of singer Lim Young-woong, surpassed 240,000 viewers, and though its audience numbers are smaller, it generated sales of 6.95 billion won ($5.2 million) thanks to the higher percentage of fans watching it in premium theaters with special sound systems. This outpaced the revenue of box office leader "Victory," which garnered 452,360 viewers and generated 4.07 billion won in sales.
"The culture of going to theaters with family or friends during Chuseok or Seollal to watch big-budget films is gradually fading. With so many other entertainment platforms like Netflix available today, it seems more people are choosing to watch films from diverse genres that suit their individual tastes," another film industry official said.