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‘The Assassin(s)’ Tops Korea’s Chuseok Holiday Box Office With 1.5 Million Admissions
The historical thriller 'The Assassin(s)' topped South Korea's box office during the Chuseok holiday period, achieving 1.5 million admissions and grossing $11.3 million since its release on 23 September. Directed by Hur Jin-ho and fresh from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film explores the 1974 assassination attempt on President Park Chung-hee that resulted in the First Lady's death, following three protagonists investigating the conspiracy.
The ensemble cast includes Lee Min-ho, Park Hae-il, and Yoo Hai-jin in the lead roles. The film's strong performance stood out amid significant competition: the gambling-franchise sequel Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub took second place with $6 million and 813,842 admissions, whilst Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey held third with $5 million, bringing its Korean cumulative total to $98 million—currently the year's biggest import. Also opening on 23 September was Lee Chang-dong's Venice Prize winner Possible Love, Korea's official submission for Best International Feature at the Oscars, which earned approximately $1 million in its first five days.
In short
- 'The Assassin(s)' tops Korean box office with 1.5 million admissions during Chuseok
- Historical thriller about 1974 assassination of President Park Chung-hee draws major audiences
- Nolan's The Odyssey reaches $98 million, highest-grossing import in Korea this year
Explained simply
Chuseok is South Korea's most important annual holiday period, when millions of families gather to celebrate and visit cinemas. The holiday represents the country's peak cinema season, making box office performance during this time particularly significant.
'The Assassin(s)' centres on a real historical event from 1974: an assassination attempt on South Korean President Park Chung-hee that resulted in the death of the First Lady. The historical thriller follows three main characters investigating the circumstances of this pivotal moment in Korea's modern history.
The film released during Chuseok, South Korea's peak cinema season when audiences flock to theatres for major releases. Its exploration of a significant moment in the country's recent past reflects ongoing public interest in understanding Korea's modern history.
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