[Box Office] 'Avatar 2' First Movie to Reach 10 Million Viewers This Year... Earned 127.9 Billion Won

Audience No.1 'Negotiation' Surpasses 1 Million During Lunar New Year Holiday Jan 21-24

The winner of the Lunar New Year holiday was the movie 'Negotiation.' 'Avatar: The Way of Water' became the first foreign film to reach 10 million viewers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Korea Film Council's integrated box office data, during the four days of the Lunar New Year holiday from the 21st to the 24th, 'Negotiation' (directed by Lim Soon-rye) attracted 872,420 viewers, securing the number one spot at the box office. Since its release on the 18th, it has surpassed a cumulative audience of 1,137,880.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

'Negotiation' is a film depicting the negotiation operation of a diplomat and a local National Intelligence Service agent who head to Afghanistan to rescue Koreans taken hostage by the Taliban in one of the worst kidnapping incidents. It is based on the 2007 Saemmul Church hostage crisis. Actors Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin star in the film, which is directed by Lim Soon-rye.

'Avatar: The Way of Water,' watched by 485,884 people, took second place. Released on the 14th of last month, it has accumulated 10,108,250 viewers, becoming the first film of the year to reach 10 million viewers. It is the first foreign film to surpass 10 million viewers since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the second film overall to do so after 'The Outlaws 2.'

Compared to its predecessor 'Avatar' (2009), which surpassed 10 million viewers in 38 days, this film took four days longer, and it is unlikely to surpass the original's total audience of 13.62 million. However, its revenue is expected to exceed that of the original. 'Avatar: The Way of Water' has earned 127.96734 billion KRW domestically, just 2.2 billion KRW less than the original's 128.44 billion KRW.

The film is currently ranked 6th in all-time global box office earnings, having surpassed 2.47 trillion KRW. The increase in viewership in special theaters such as IMAX and Dolby, along with rising ticket prices, appears to have contributed to the revenue growth.

Through the distributor, director James Cameron expressed his gratitude, saying, "I am touched by your support and love. Thank you once again to Korea."

'Avatar: The Way of Water' stills [Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea]

The Japanese animation 'The First Slam Dunk' followed in third place with 436,891 viewers. Released on the 4th, it has accumulated 1,594,213 viewers, demonstrating strong performance.

'Phantom,' which was released on the same day as 'Negotiation,' attracted 297,269 viewers and remained in fourth place. Its cumulative audience reached 414,304, a somewhat disappointing result.

'Hero,' released on the 21st of last month, drew 246,446 viewers, ranking fifth. A total of 2,959,789 people have watched the film.

Additionally, the animation 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' ranked sixth, 'Carrie & Super Cola' seventh, the Japanese romance 'Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight' eighth, and the film 'Switch,' starring Kwon Sang-woo and Oh Jung-se, took ninth place.