"Because I'm a genius..." How far will the excitement for Slam Dunk's 'Seulchinjas' go?

'Slam Dunk' Surpasses 2 Million Viewers on 29th Day
'N-th Viewing' Phenomenon with Subtitle and Dubbing Marathons
Popup Store Rush, Tankobon and Basketball Goods in High Demand

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "I struggled to hold back tears.", "I plan to watch it once more with a friend.", "Since I watched the subtitles, I want to see the dubbed version too."

These were the most frequently heard remarks when the reporter recently watched the animated film The First Slam Dunk (director Takehiko Inoue) at the CGV cinema inside Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. This is the phenomenon of 'N-times viewing,' where audiences watch both the subtitled and dubbed versions.

Most viewers, men in their 30s and 40s, watched Slam Dunk while quietly shouting "Fighting!" or chanting "Kang Baek-ho, please make the shot," appearing as if they were not in a theater but at a basketball game. Although such behavior could be seen as disturbing other viewers' immersion, no one took issue with it. It even gave the illusion of returning to the days of playing three-on-three basketball on the school playground during high school.

'The First Slam Dunk' photo zone installed in front of the CGV cinema inside Yongsan I'Park Mall, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seunggon Han

The reason this atmosphere is tolerated during the movie is thanks to Slam Dunk's relentless and passionate popularity. A new term, 'Seulchin-ja' (meaning 'one obsessed with Slam Dunk'), has even emerged. Since its release on the 4th of last month, Slam Dunk began gaining word-of-mouth popularity and rose to number one at the box office on the 27th, maintaining the top spot for five consecutive days. According to the Korea Film Council's integrated ticketing system on the 2nd, the cumulative audience count reached 2,036,484.

The distribution industry is also enjoying the 'Slam Dunk effect.' The Slam Dunk pop-up store currently operating at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul, has been causing daily open-run situations. When the stocked items sold out due to the large crowds, they announced a limit of one figure or uniform package per person.

At SSG.com, basketball equipment sales increased by 26% from March 11 to 18, one week after the movie's release, compared to the same period last year. During the same period, basketball shoe sales on Gmarket and Auction surged by 488%, with basketball uniforms up 350%, basketball equipment up 92%, and basketball bags up 32%. Seven Eleven, in collaboration with Lotte Chilsung Beverage, exclusively launched 'Slam Dunk Wine' in the industry. The wine was inspired by the 'Slam Dunk Moment,' meaning the best moment in life.

Slam Dunk Complete Edition Premium Volume. Photo by Han Seunggon

The Slam Dunk comic books are also selling like hotcakes. It appears that the increase in sales is due to students who enjoyed Slam Dunk during their school days now growing into their 30s and 40s with purchasing power.

According to Daewon C.I., the comic book publisher, from the release date of The First Slam Dunk on the 4th of last month until now, approximately 600,000 copies of the Slam Dunk revised edition have been sold. The revised edition is a 20-volume series repackaging the original 31 volumes, published in 2018. Daewon C.I. expects sales to reach one million copies by early March, including additional orders to meet demand. A Daewon C.I. representative explained, "We keep printing, but we cannot meet the demand. Even though we send 200,000 copies to bookstores, they are selling out."