'Hope' dominates holiday box office as monsoon rains drive crowds indoors

A promotional display for "Hope" at a movie theater in Seoul [Yonhap]

Monsoon rains that soaked the Constitution Day holiday weekend proved a boon for South Korean movie theaters. Director Na Hong-jin's new film "Hope" drew more than 1.5 million admissions over the holiday alone, while all-ages titles "Minions & Monsters," "Moana" and others pulled in family audiences to hold their own in the upper ranks of the box office.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing network, "Hope" attracted 1,503,990 admissions during the holiday period from Friday through Sunday.

"Hope" opened Wednesday to 330,000 admissions — the best opening-day score of the year and the highest of Na's career. It crossed the 1 million mark within three days, then surpassed 2 million on Sunday, its fifth day in release. As of Monday, cumulative admissions stood at 2,129,697, with the film holding the top spot at the box office for five consecutive days since its opening.

"Hope" is Na's first film in 10 years since "The Wailing" (2016). The science-fiction action thriller follows a village thrown into chaos after a tiger is spotted in the demilitarized zone, only for an even more unbelievable reality to unfold. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon alongside international stars Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell.

A trailer for "Hope" playing outside a movie theater in Seoul [Yonhap]

Even amid divided audience reactions, "Hope" has sustained a breakneck box-office run befitting the year's most anticipated Korean film — driven by the cast's performances, Na's characteristically meticulous mise-en-scène, inventive action sequences and wide curiosity about what a Korean-style science-fiction film could look like.

Distributor Plus M Entertainment said audience debate over the film's open-ended conclusion has underscored the strong interest in the work, adding that repeat viewings have been brisk since opening week.

Alongside "Hope," all-ages titles that opened the same day — "Minions & Monsters" and the live-action adaptation "Moana" — as well as the long-running "Toy Story 5" kept pace in the upper box-office rankings, drawing steady streams of family audiences over the holiday.

"Minions & Monsters" drew 308,576 admissions over its opening holiday weekend, landing second overall at the box office and first among foreign films.

The animated adventure follows three Minions — James, Henry and Ed — who set out to find a monster in hopes of becoming blockbuster directors with their debut film. The film has earned broad praise from children and adults alike for its family-friendly storytelling and humor.

[Provided by Universal Pictures and The Walt Disney Company Korea]

"Moana," the live-action adaptation of the Disney animated film, came in third over the holiday with 173,555 admissions, bringing its cumulative total to 772,104.

Based on the Disney animated film of the same name, which grossed $1.7 billion worldwide, the live-action version follows Moana — a girl chosen by the ocean — as she embarks on a voyage into uncharted waters alongside legendary hero Maui to save her island from a curse.

The film drew significant attention for its casting of Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho, along with its cultural research, on-location shooting and costume work, all of which closely mirror the original. Some critics, however, have argued that its fidelity to the animated source comes at the expense of the emotional and entertainment value a live-action film can offer on its own terms.

"Toy Story 5," which opened June 17, has held the upper box-office rankings for more than a month and is eyeing a long run through the summer school holiday. It drew 114,718 admissions over the holiday weekend, pushing its cumulative total to 2,750,181.

The animated film follows Woody, Buzz and Jessie — along with the rest of the toys — as they reunite to face an unprecedented crisis brought on by a smart tablet called the Lilypad, embarking on an unpredictable new journey together. The original voice cast returns, with Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz and Joan Cusack as Jessie.

"Toy Story 5" [Provided by The Walt Disney Company Korea]

The rare surge in theater attendance reflects a combination of factors: the release of a high-profile film in "Hope," the Constitution Day holiday and the monsoon rains. Word of mouth generated by the polarizing debate over "Hope" drew more people to movie theaters, while the rainy weather pushed those seeking indoor leisure to cinemas as a natural choice.

Families with children, in particular, appear to have turned to the movies as an alternative to outdoor outings, giving an added lift to all-ages titles at the box office.

"As more people look for indoor activities during the rainy season, we're naturally seeing more moviegoers as well," a theater industry official said. "We expect the summer box office to pick up even more energy when highly anticipated films like 'Spider-Man' and 'Odyssey' open."

balme@heraldcorp.com