32nd of all time, 23rd among Korean films
Film industry: "Theaters expected to definitely recover this year"
The movie Pamyo has become the first film released this year to join the ranks of movies with over 10 million viewers. It is the 32nd movie in history to reach this milestone.
On the 24th, distributor Showbox announced that Pamyo surpassed 10 million cumulative viewers on the 32nd day since its release.
Pamyo is an occult mystery film depicting strange events that occur when the geomancer Sangdeok (played by Choi Min-sik), mortician Yeonggeun (Yoo Hae-jin), shaman Hwarim (Kim Go-eun), and Bonggil (Lee Do-hyun) dig up the graves of a wealthy family's ancestors for a large sum of money. It is the third feature film directed by Jang Jae-hyun, who is credited with pioneering Korean-style occult films with The Priests (2015) and Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019).
Pamyo became the 32nd movie in history to reach 10 million viewers and the 23rd among Korean films. It is the fifth film since the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve this, following Crime City 2 and Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, and Crime City 3 and Seoul Spring in 2003. Additionally, it is the first film to surpass 10 million viewers three months after Seoul Spring reached the milestone on December 24 last year.
For lead actor Yoo Hae-jin, this is his fourth 10-million-viewer film, following The King and the Clown (2005), Veteran (2015), and Taxi Driver (2017). For Choi Min-sik, it is his second, after The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014). For Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun, it is their first 10-million-viewer film. Notably, Lee Do-hyun was fortunate to become a 10-million-viewer actor with his screen debut in this film.
Pamyo is also considered a rare case for becoming a 10-million-viewer film after opening in February, which is typically an off-season for the film industry. It is the first occult film dealing with supernatural phenomena to surpass 10 million viewers.
Pamyo topped the box office from its release on the 22nd of last month and has never relinquished the top spot since. Although the Hollywood blockbuster Dune: Part 2 was released in the same month, it did not affect Pamyo's success.
Within the film industry, there is an expectation that the success of Pamyo, following Seoul Spring, will mark a definite recovery for theaters this year. Next month, the highly anticipated Crime City 4, starring Ma Dong-seok, is set to be released.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
