Movie Industry Ma Dong-seok = Brand Recognition
Successful 'Korean-style Franchise' Planning Praised
The movie 'Crime City 4' has become the first Korean film to achieve a triple 10 million audience milestone. Starring and produced by actor Ma Dong-seok, the series has attracted a total of 40 million viewers across its four installments. It is praised as a cleverly planned commercial film that has opened a successful chapter for the franchise.
According to the Korea Film Council's integrated box office data on the 18th, 'Crime City 4' (directed by Heo Myeong-haeng) drew 234,173 viewers on Buddha’s Birthday, May 15, topping the box office. The cumulative audience reached 10,174,760. The animation 'Haikyuu!! The Movie: Battle at the Garbage Dump' (172,861 viewers), released the same day, ranked second, followed by 'She Died' starring Byeon Yo-han and Shin Hye-sun (106,885 viewers) in third, and 'Garfield the Movie' (100,348 viewers) in fourth place.
Released on April 24, 'Crime City 4' reached 1 million viewers by its second day, 2 million by the fourth day, 4 million by the fifth day, 5 million by the seventh day, 7 million by the eleventh day, and 10 million by the twenty-second day. It is the 33rd film to surpass 10 million viewers and the 24th Korean film to do so.
The first installment, 'Crime City' (2017), attracted 6.88 million viewers, while the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th installments each surpassed 10 million, marking the first time in Korean film history that a series has achieved a 'triple 10 million' record. Although the Hollywood superhero 'Avengers' series has reached 10 million viewers three times domestically, this is the first for a Korean film series. Previously, the 'Along with the Gods' series (2017?2018) also had its first and second installments consecutively reach 10 million viewers.
The success was anticipated. The film industry had been watching 'Crime City 4' closely since its release date was confirmed early on. Since the previous two installments were both 10 million viewer hits, it was expected that the fourth would also attract a large audience. Major films postponed their release dates to summer or later in the fall to avoid competition. No Korean commercial films competed directly with 'Crime City 4'.
Theaters were busy accommodating 'Ma Dong-seok'. Major multiplexes allocated many screens to 'Crime City 4', raising concerns about screen monopolization. The film achieved a peak screening share of 82% and a seat occupancy rate of 85%. This means that out of 10 films shown in theaters over the past month, 8 were 'Crime City 4'. Some viewers who watched the film commented that while it faithfully followed the commercial film formula with humor and action, its quality and entertainment value were lower than previous installments. Opinions were divided between praising Ma Dong-seok’s signature action as exhilarating and criticizing the repetitive, self-duplicating structure as tiresome.
'A Record-Breaking Franchise Success' Smart Producer Ma Dong-seok
Ma Dong-seok now holds six films that have surpassed 10 million viewers, including 'Train to Busan' (2016), 'Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds' (2017), 'Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days' (2018), 'Crime City 2' (2022), 'Crime City 3' (2023), and 'Crime City 4'. His abilities as a producer stand out even more than his record of attracting 60 million viewers as an actor.
Having produced various films before, Ma Dong-seok expressed confidence in making 'Crime City' a 'Korean-style franchise series.' He has led the planning, investment, and screenplay of the 'Crime City' series. He personally recruited directors and promising actors with whom he had built trust to develop the series. He appointed Lee Sang-yong, who was the first film’s assistant director, to direct the 2nd and 3rd installments, and entrusted Heo Myeong-haeng, a martial arts director who has long collaborated with him, to direct the 4th installment.
Ma Dong-seok expanded the series based on real events by meeting actual violent crime detectives and collecting arrest episodes. He applied his boxing skills, his specialty, to the action of the character Ma Seok-do, creating a distinctive character that added exhilarating catharsis and became a driving force for the film’s success. He also participated in the action design for each installment. He has revealed plans to develop the series up to eight films. The first four films conclude the first act, and from the fifth film onward, he intends to start a new chapter as the second act.
On the morning of the 16th, he posted on his social media, "The 'Crime City' series, which I started producing with the dream of creating an action franchise, has achieved an unbelievable score of three consecutive 10 million viewer hits and a total audience of 40 million across the series," adding, "this is all thanks to the audience."
He stated, "If films 1, 2, 3, and 4 are Act 1, then films 5, 6, 7, and 8 will be Act 2. While Act 1 was an entertaining action spectacle, Act 2 will come as a completely new, intensified action thriller genre." He continued, "Knowing that Ma Seok-do’s exhilarating blows against injustice can offer a small comfort to those who live diligently, Ma Seok-do will keep running. Dreaming of a city without crime," he concluded.
Now, Ma Dong-seok’s name has become a genre and a brand. It is unprecedented for an actor to also take on production and lead a series’ box office success. This is similar to Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise, who planned and starred in the 'Mission: Impossible' series, or Dwayne Johnson of the 'Fast & Furious' franchise.
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