When Backlash Sparks Bulk Buying Suspicion... Movie 'Victory' Team Explains "Group Booking"

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The movie 'Victory' has addressed the bulk-buying allegations that surfaced a month after its release.

Mindmark, the distributor of 'Victory,' stated on its official social media account on the 11th, "The allegations regarding 'Victory' are unfounded," adding, "Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, some companies and organizations have been holding private screenings of 'Victory'." They further explained, "For private screenings, general audiences cannot make reservations, so these showtimes are typically not listed on the booking site schedule. However, it seems that a misunderstanding arose because the schedule was mistakenly made public."

Released on the 14th of last month, 'Victory' had not topped the box office even once until the 9th of this month, accumulating about 430,000 viewers. However, according to the Korea Film Council's integrated ticketing system, on the 10th, it attracted 13,189 viewers, rising to first place at the box office. It maintained the top spot the following day, the 11th, with 13,602 viewers. Lead actress Hyeri, who had previously expressed disappointment over the low audience numbers, shared this news on her SNS, expressing her joy.

As 'Victory' showed an unusual resurgence a month after its release, some raised suspicions, saying, "The sold-out weekday screenings are suspicious," and questioned whether the audience numbers were artificially inflated through bulk-buying. Doubts were raised due to sold-out screenings of 'Victory' on the 11th at Songpa Park Habio and Gimpo Hangang New Town, on the 12th in Changwon Naeseo, and on the 13th in Daegu Isia. In response, the 'Victory' team explained that the increase in audience numbers was due to group private screenings.

Meanwhile, 'Victory' tells the story set in 1999 at the turn of the century, about a dance duo from Geoje Island, Pilseon (played by Lee Hyeri) and Mina (played by Park Sewan), whose lives revolve solely around dance, as they start a cheerleading club to secure a practice room. Hyeri's enthusiastic promotion of the film had previously attracted attention.