For the second week in a row, the comedy Pilot topped South Korea’s box office charts. According to figures from Lotte Entertainment, Pilot earned $5.03 million from Friday to Sunday, capturing nearly half of the total box office revenue for the weekend. Since its release twelve days ago, the film has made $20.3 million and attracted over three million viewers.
Pilot’s success is notable in an otherwise slow summer season for Korean cinemas. Box office returns have been lower than usual despite warmer weather typically boosting theater attendance. However, Pilot has resonated with audiences through its lighthearted story about a fictional airline pilot’s amusing adventures and mishaps. Positive word-of-mouth reviews and fans of the lead actors have contributed to the film maintaining momentum.
The newest animated family film, Heartspring: Teenieping of Love, debuted in second place with $1.74 million for the weekend and $2.68 million over its first five days. Younger crowds have helped drive its solid opening numbers. Blockbuster superhero collaboration Deadpool & Wolverine took third with $842,000, continuing to benefit from large-format screenings. Its total now stands at $14.2 million, making it one of the highest-grossing foreign films in South Korea this year.
In fourth, Despicable Me 4 generated $777,000. While its earnings have started tapering off, the animated sequel remains popular among families and children after three weeks. New crime thriller Revolver rounded out the top five with $749,000 in its opening weekend and a five-day total of $1.33 million. The movie has garnered attention through its gritty plotline and strong acting, though faces competition.
Among other titles, Disney’s Inside Out 2 added $442,000 to its massive total of $60.9 million, continuing as the highest-earning imported film this year across all age groups. The Japanese animated movies Bocci! The Rock! Movie Part 1 and Detective Conan the Movie: The Million Dollar Pentagram also found audiences, launching in eighth and ninth place respectively. Early previews of the upcoming disaster film Twisters earned $124,000 ahead of its full release on Wednesday.
South Korea’s overall box office revenue for the weekend was $10.9 million, considered low for summer. Industry analysts will monitor upcoming releases to see if anything can boost attendance numbers that have remained sluggish possibly due to economic factors, COVID concerns, or lack of appealing films.
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