Comedy is dominating Korean theaters this 12 months, signaling a shift in viewers style.
From “My Daughter Is a Zombie,” the 12 months’s largest box-office hit, to “The First Trip,” which lately broke the profitable streak of Japanese anime movies, moviegoers are turning to laughter because the style main the post-summer field workplace.
“The First Trip” has topped the home field workplace for six consecutive days, overtaking “Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc,” the Japanese anime that had been main international charts.
Launched on Oct. 29, the movie follows 5 longtime buddies — Tae-jung (Kang Ha-neul), Do-jin (Kim Younger-kwang), Yeon-min (Cha Eun-woo), Geum-bok (Kang Younger-seok) and Okay-sim (Han Solar-hwa) — as they embark on their first abroad journey collectively.
Pushed by phrase of mouth, the comedy has gained reward for its solid chemistry and heartfelt storyline.
The reunion of director Nam Dae-joong and actor Kang Ha-neul, who beforehand labored collectively on the 2023 hit “Love Reset,” additionally boosted anticipation.
“As a comedy that folks can take pleasure in collectively, it presents a robust cause for audiences to return to theaters,” the movie’s distributor, Showbox, stated.
In accordance with information from the Korean Movie Council’s field workplace data system on Wednesday, “The First Trip” drew 23,991 moviegoers on Tuesday, sustaining its No. 1 place on the native field workplace. The movie’s cumulative admissions have reached 417,973.
A scene from the movie “My Daughter Is a Zombie” / Courtesy of NEW
Earlier this summer season, “My Daughter Is a Zombie” turned a cultural phenomenon, surpassing 5 million admissions. It marked the primary home movie to hit that milestone in 11 months since Ryu Seung-wan’s “Veteran 2.”
Primarily based on a webtoon, “My Daughter Is a Zombie” tells the story of a father who undergoes secret coaching to guard his daughter, the final remaining zombie on this planet. By mixing zombie apocalypse tropes with human drama and humor, the movie earned reward for its originality.
Following “My Daughter Is a Zombie,” “Boss” has continued the comedy development, topping the field workplace via the 10-day Chuseok vacation interval in early October with a seat occupancy charge of 40.4 %.
The motion comedy depicts a fierce however comical energy battle amongst gang members vying to grow to be the subsequent boss. Premiering on the Busan Worldwide Movie Pageant earlier than its official launch, “Boss” surpassed 1.7 million admissions, breaking even inside weeks.
The resurgence of comedy displays social sentiment, specialists say. Traditionally, in periods of financial downturn or collective stress — from the Nice Melancholy in Nineteen Thirties America to the 1997 Asian monetary disaster — audiences have sought consolation in laughter.
“Viewers are exhibiting fatigue towards heavy, critical genres like thrillers and crime dramas,” cultural critic Kim Hern-sik stated. “Many now flip to lighthearted and refreshing tales, not simply in theaters however on streaming platforms as properly.”
He added, “Movies like ‘My Daughter Is a Zombie’ and ‘Boss’ stand out for his or her originality, proving that audiences are anticipating well-made comedies that provide each humor and coronary heart.”
A nonetheless from the movie “Boss” / Courtesy of Hive Media Corp and Mindmark
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Instances, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Instances.
