Tears Shed During Stage Greeting on the 12th
One month after its release, the film 'Victory,' which topped the box office and became embroiled in ticket scalping allegations, saw its lead actress Hyeri (real name Lee Hyeri) shed tears, asking people to "understand her sincerity."
On the 12th, at the 'Victory' GV (Guest Visit) held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Hyeri responded to the question, "What kind of meaning do you think Victory will hold?" by saying, "I'm not an actress who has done many films, and there were many ups and downs from the start," adding, "I felt a lot of pressure." She continued, calling it a "proud film," and said, "I hope you truly understand my sincerity," her voice choking as she struggled to continue.
Earlier, despite it not being an official schedule, Hyeri visited movie theaters guerrilla-style to promote 'Victory' by providing fan service to audiences who watched the film. Regarding this, Hyeri said, "I received a lot of support from those who watched Victory. I wanted to give back, so I had a strong desire to meet many viewers. That's why I also visited theaters." During the GV, Hyeri could not stop crying throughout the latter part while answering audience questions.
'Victory' is a film set in 1999 about a dance duo from Geoje, Pilseon (Lee Hyeri) and Mina (Park Sewan), who meet Sehyun (Jo Aram), a cheerleader who transferred from Seoul, and form a cheerleading club while trying to secure a dance practice room. The film stars Hyeri, Park Sewan, and Lee Jungha, among others.
The film was released on the 14th of last month and initially remained in the lower ranks of the box office but surged to first place within a month. According to the Korea Film Council's integrated box office system, 'Victory' attracted 13,189 viewers on the 10th and 13,602 on the 11th, securing the top spot. This led some to point out that "it is strange that weekday screenings were sold out," raising suspicions of ticket scalping.
In response, the distributor Mindmark denied the allegations as "groundless," explaining that "private screenings through some companies and organizations are being held ahead of the Chuseok holiday." They further clarified, "The increase in audience numbers naturally occurred as private screening schedules overlapped on weekdays just before the holiday."
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