Summer tent-pole films set new release dates despite increase in movie attendance

Actor Hwang Jung-min in a scene from the film "Deliver Us From Evil" / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, several big name film studios announced changes to their summer releases of "tent-pole" films.

Delayed movies include "Deliver Us From Evil," "Hero," "Space Sweepers" and "Mogadishu" ― the only film that appears unaffected is "Peninsula," which is still set for theatrical release in July.

On June 11, CJ Entertainment announced changes to its release calendar. Hardboiled action film "Deliver Us From Evil," starring Hwang Jung-min and Lee Jung-jae, will be released in August instead of July.

"Considering various factors such as the summer vacation and market conditions, we concluded that August would be more appropriate than July," a company official said.

This change set off a domino effect, pushing its highly-anticipated film "Hero" into the fall or beyond.

"Hero," a film version of the hit musical about Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun starring Jung Sung-hwa, was originally slated for August.

This is a biopic of Ahn, who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, Japan's prime minister and the first resident governor general of Korea, in 1909. In March the following year, Ahn was executed in a Japanese prison in China. Director Yoon Je-kyoon, best known for his previous works "Ode to My Father" and "Haeundae," produced the film.

Actor Song Joong-ki in a scene from the film "Space Sweepers" / Courtesy of Merry Christmas

Sci-fi blockbuster "Space Sweepers," which was originally planned for Aug. 12, has had its theatrical release postponed to late September or early October.

It is poised to hit local theaters ahead of the Chuseok holidays because of pandemic-related post-production delays, according to its distributor, Merry Christmas.

The film, set in 2092, follows the crew of a space junk sweeper. As they look for lucrative space debris, they discover the humanoid "Dorothy" ― a weapon of mass destruction ― and get embroiled in a "risky deal."

Director Jo Sung-hee, who previously produced hit fantasy film "Werewolf Boy," produced the film. This marks Jo's second collaboration with actor Song Joong-ki, along with the star-studded cast of Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Hae-jin and Jin Seon-kyu.

Director Yang Woo-seok, right, poses with the cast of the film "Steel Rain 2: Summit" in this photo provided by Lotte Entertainment / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

Lotte Entertainment also made changes to its release calendar. It plans to release the high-budget action film "Mogadishu," featuring Kim Yoon-seok and Jo In-sung, in the fall.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film depicts the life-or-death escape of South Korean and North Korean embassy workers stranded in the midst of the Somali Civil War that took place in the 1990s.

As a result of this change, "Steel Rain 2: Summit," starring Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won, will be moved forward with a summer release.

Director Yang Woo-seok of "The Attorney" and "Steel Rain" produced the film. "Steel Rain 2: Summit" is based on the webtoon "Steel Rain 3: Summit," written by Yang.

The flick centers on a hypothetical diplomatic situation in which leaders of three countries ― the U.S., North and South Korea ― are gathered for a summit at which they are kidnapped by the commander of a North Korean nuclear submarine.

In the film, Jung will play the president of South Korea while Kwak will play an elite North Korean seaman and leader of the kidnapping.

Movie theaters are cautiously bringing back moviegoers thanks to discounted cinema tickets and the new film releases.

KOFIC began issuing special discount coupons that allow moviegoers to purchase tickets for 6,000 won for three weeks, starting June 4. The discounted prices on 1.3 million tickets apply only on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

As a result, the number of moviegoers on June 6 and 7 reached 316,929, more than double the 152,284 a week earlier, according to KOFIC.

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