'I, the Executioner' takes advantage of weak Chuseok lineup

Cop movie "I, the Executioner" has solidified its position as the undisputed leader of the Chuseok box office, attracting over 4 million moviegoers in just six days since its release.

According to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), as of Wednesday, the film starring Hwang Jung-min and Jung Hae-in had surpassed the 4 million viewer mark, a feat achieved three days faster than its predecessor, "Veteran," which took nine days to reach the milestone in 2015.

Riding on the anticipation for a sequel to the mega-hit "Veteran," "I, the Executioner" has consistently drawn between 700,000 and 800,000 viewers daily during the Chuseok holiday, which began Saturday. With a sales share of 86.4 percent as of Tuesday, it is clear that the majority of moviegoers chose to watch this film.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film follows veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang) and rookie detective Park Sun-woo (Jung) as they chase a serial killer.

"I, the Executioner" dominated screens across the country during this year's Chuseok holiday, with no real competition. The film's 68 percent share of screenings during the holiday period, according to the KOFIC, raises the criticism that there is no other movie to enjoy besides this action-crime flick.

While Korean animated films like "Bread Barbershop: The Birth of Bread Star" and "Heartsping: Teenieping of Love" managed to secure the second and third spots, respectively, in the daily box office rankings during the first four days of the Chuseok holiday, their market share was at around 2 percent respectively.

Thanks to the success of "I, the Executioner," overall theater attendance during the holiday period saw a significant increase compared to the previous year.

The total number of moviegoers from the first four days of this year's Chuseok holiday reached 3.73 million, surpassing the 3.11 million recorded during the six-day holiday period from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3 last year.