The 2.9 Billion-Won Miracle on 45 Screens: Park Chan-wook Breaks Through Hollywood’s Blockbuster Onslaught

A Stark Contrast with "Song Song Blue" and Its 50-Fold Theater Advantage
93% Audience Score Fuels Word-of-Mouth Buzz... Eyes on the Golden Globes

Movie still cut from "No Other Choice"

Director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice" is creating a "silent miracle" at the U.S. box office. Amid the overwhelming presence of Hollywood blockbusters dominating thousands of screens, the film has managed to stay at the top of the box office rankings with just 45 theaters.

According to Box Office Mojo, a North American box office revenue tracking site, the film, which opened on December 25 in just 13 theaters, has expanded to 45 theaters since January 2, thanks to strong word-of-mouth. Over the first ten days of its release, it recorded ticket sales of approximately 1.98 million dollars (about 2.9 billion won). Despite fierce competition, it ranked 12th at the box office, coming close to breaking into the "Top 10."

This achievement is significant not simply because of the total revenue, but because of the "quality of its box office performance." The film's strength becomes clear when compared to the Hollywood movie "Song Song Blue," starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, which opened during the same period. "Song Song Blue" earned 24.94 million dollars by leveraging an overwhelming 2,587 screens, but its second Sunday box office dropped by 24% compared to the previous week, indicating that the initial "opening week effect" is fading.

In contrast, "No Other Choice" is showing a completely opposite upward trend, with sales surging by an impressive 97.7% over the same period. Not only did it outperform the Hollywood blockbuster starring major stars in ticket sales per screen, but it also ignited box office success through enthusiastic word-of-mouth from audiences. This is a classic sign of a "sleeper hit"-a film that starts slow but enjoys long-term success.

Movie still cut from "No Other Choice"

Behind these numbers lies solid support for the film's quality. On the American film rating site Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score (popcorn index) stands at 93%. The film has received rave reviews such as "a perfect narrative from start to finish" and "Park Chan-wook's finest work, worthy of classic status." This positive reception has created a virtuous cycle, leading to increased demand for wider theatrical release.

The enthusiastic response at theaters is now heading toward the awards circuit. Although the film missed out on the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film awards at the Critics Choice Awards the previous day, it has been nominated in three categories at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards on January 11: Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language, and Best Actor (Lee Byunghun).