South Korea Box Office: Local Films Dominate, ‘Hobbit’ Drops to Fourth Spot

South Korean films reclaimed the box office in the country over the holiday weekend, with homegrown drama Ode to My Father leading the pack.

The family drama stayed on top for a second weekend for the Dec. 26-28 period. The CJ Entertainment release accounted for 37.7 percent of box-office revenue during that time, according to the Korean Film Council’s KOBIS database.

Directed by JK Youn (Tidal Wave, aka Haeundae) and starring Lost actress Yunjin Kim, the film attracted $3.9 million on Christmas Day alone. Since Monday, Ode to My Father has earned $30.2 million, as some 4.3 million moviegoers went to see the family drama.

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Homegrown action film The Con Artists (Lotte Entertainment) debuted in the No. 2 spot after opening on Christmas Eve. It grossed $4.7 million, or a 17.4 percent market share. So far, the film has cashed in a total $10 million. The crime story stars popular actor Kim Woo-bin and had attracted Asian buyers, in particular from China, at Busan’s Asian Film Market in October.

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Korean documentary My Love, Don’t Cross That River (CGV Movie Collage) again claimed third place (13.5 percent of revenue) to become the most successful indie film of all time at the Korean box office. It has earned a total of $25 million (3.5 million admissions), overtaking the record set by Begin Again ($24.6 million) earlier this year.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies dropped two spots to take fourth place. The Warner Bros. Korea release took 12 percent of the weekend revenue, earning a total of $18.2 million.

The Royal Tailor, another local film, debuted in fifth place with $1.8 million, or 6.5 percent of sales. Showbox Mediaplex/Wow Pictures handle the costume drama set during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The star-studded film starring popular actors Han Seok-kyu, Ko Soo, Yoo Yeon-seok and Park Shin-hye has grossed about $4 million overall.

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