Why films starring Yoo Ah-in, Kwak Do-won are defying odds at box office

"The Match" attracted 1.35 million moviegoers as of Sunday. Yonhap

Two Korean films, "The Firefighters" and "The Match," have unexpectedly become box office hits despite production delays, scandal-plagued stars and fears they would bypass theaters altogether.

Both were filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic but were shelved due to their lead actors becoming embroiled in controversies. As rumors of direct-to-streaming releases swirled, few expected them to succeed once they finally hit theaters. Yet both have proved otherwise.

"The Firefighters," which opened earlier this year, has drawn 3.85 million viewers, while "The Match" has attracted 1.35 million moviegoers as of Sunday.

"The Firefighters," directed by Kwak Kyung-taek of "Friend" (2001) and "The Classified File" (2015), is based on a real-life arson incident in Seoul’s Hongje-dong in 2001.

The film wrapped shooting in 2020, but plans for release were derailed in September 2022 after lead actor Kwak Do-won was caught drunk driving, causing a public outcry. The film was eventually released on Dec. 4 last year.

Despite the stigma of being labeled a “shelved film” and the additional burden of its lead actor’s scandal, "The Firefighters" easily surpassed its break-even point of 2.5 million viewers.

Momentum for turnarounds

Many credit the film’s success to director Kwak’s bold, transparent handling of the controversy. At a press conference prior to the release, he publicly criticized Kwak Do-won, saying, “I was very angry and resentful ... he must take full responsibility.”

The unusual move of a director openly rebuking a lead actor helped shift attention back to the film itself.

"The Match," meanwhile, took a different approach. The production team completed the film in 2021, drawing on the real-life relationship between legendary go, known as baduk in Korea, masters Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho.

However, they postponed the release indefinitely in 2022 after Yoo Ah-in came under investigation for illegal drug use.

When "The Match" finally opened on March 26, the promotional campaign made a deliberate effort to omit Yoo Ah-in’s name and image from posters and trailers, an effort to remove negative associations for potential audiences. The film is expected to surpass its break-even point of 1.8 million viewers soon.

Hwang Jae-hyun, a business strategist at theater chain CGV, said the two films “sparked renewed interest among younger audiences through tactics like donating box office proceeds, creating momentum for their turnarounds.”

A scene from "The Firefighters" / Courtesy of By4M Studio

Rare wins despite ‘actor risk’

"The Firefighters" and "The Match" are now seen as rare success stories in an industry where films tainted by actor scandals often vanish quietly from theaters.

Few delayed releases due to off-screen controversies manage to win back public support. For example, the late Lee Sun-kyun’s final two films, "Project Silence" and "Land of Happiness," which were released after his death amid drug and sex crime allegations, drew only 680,000 and 710,000 viewers, respectively.

The unexpected success of these two films has also reignited interest in "Hi-Five," another Yoo Ah-in project. Directed by Kang Hyoung-chul of "Scandal Makers" (2008) and "Sunny" (2011), the film tells the story of five individuals who suddenly gain superpowers.

Shot in 2021, "Hi-Five" has seen its release delayed repeatedly due to Yoo’s scandal, but it is now slated for a June premiere.

A spokesperson for distributor NEW said, “We’ve been considering a release since the end of last year, and given the current situation, we’ve decided to aim for early summer.”

The poster for "The Match" / Courtesy of the By4M Studio

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.