[K-Film News & Box Office] June 5

The Lee Sung-Jae/Park Sol-Mi romcom wasn't Park first experience behind the camera, as he was assistant director on Lee Chang-Dong's 오아시스 (Oasis), but he'll get the chance to redeem his debut film's box office flop with his latest, which is one of the many 'buddy movies' in production for the second half of 2006 -- the most obvious other one being Lee Joon-Ik's 라디오 스타 (Radio Star). The film will be produced by Sio Films, and will reunite Gam and Kim after their collabo on last year's lovely 간큰가족 (Super Family). Gam plays Park Man-Soo, a model citizen, never breaking traffic laws even once. Kim is the opposite, a sort of freeloader almost enjoying breaking the law on a frequent basis and getting free meals in the can. The two meet at the police station, familiar place for the latter, not so much for the former. The film starts shooting on July 19 until mid-November, for a February 2007 release. [Star News]

May 2006 was the best and the worst of months for Chungmuro at the box office, thanks to the release of two big Hollywood blockbusters, giving some competition to domestic films for the first time in close to six months. According to a recent report by Multiplex chain CJ-CGV, regarding theater business in the month of May, 15,456,610 tickets were sold nationwide (4,770,564 in Seoul), a 53.1% increase from last year, and the highest score for the Month of May in the last 10 years. This is the second highest figure of the year, after January's 21,430,000 -- which included the incredible run of Lee Joon-Ik's 왕의 남자 (The King and The Clown). Combining attendance for the first five months of the year, it's 32.9% higher than last year. Biggest factors included the advent of the first few Hollywood blockbusters of the Season, and a few holidays as well. On the other hand, the market share of domestic films fell to 33.9%, thanks to Mission Impossible: 3 and The Da Vinci Code, the first foreign films to register a blip (quite a blip, that is) at the box office in months. This brings the total market share of the first five months of 2006 to 60.1%. Although June should be more of the same (and audience should go down strongly, because of the World Cup), July should mark an u-turn for domestic films, as 한반도 (Hanbando) and 괴물 (The Host) are releasing. [Film2.0]

The 'family' is back! The third installment of the most successful comedy franchise in Korean History, 가문의 영광 (Marrying The Mafia), completed casting as started its shoot late last month. The film, entitled 가문의 부활 (Rebirth of the Family) brings back Director Jung Yong-Gi from last year's 가문의 위기 (Marrying The Mafia 2: Enemy In Law), and most of the major cast: Shin Hyun-Joon, Kim Won-Hee, Kim Soo-Mi, Tak Jae-Joon and Im Hyung-Joon come back, and we even have two last-minute additions: ad-lib master Gong Hyung-Jin and veteran Kim Yong-Geon (Ha Jung-Woo's father. He's totally gold in comedy mode) have joined the film, with the latter playing a romantic interest for Kim Soo-Mi. The film moves from the usual gangster trappings and features the 'family's rebirth in the Kimchi market. Release is obviously set for the Chuseok holidays. [Yahoo Korea]

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BOX OFFICE
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[Film2.0], [KOBIS], [nKino]

1.
Poseidon
Official Website
2006 USA - dir. Wolfgang Petersen
[Cast: Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss, Jimmy Bennett]
Distributed By Warner Korea - Released on May 31
39.2% (New) Share - 2,213 (New) Per Screen Avg. - 323 Screens (New) Nationwide [97 in Seoul]
214,700 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
360,300 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
1,050,900 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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2.
The Da Vinci Code
Official Website
2006 USA - dir. Ron Howard
[Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany]
Distributed By Sony Pictures - Released on May 18
13.7% (-23.5%) Share - 1,092 (-701) Per Screen Avg. - 292 Screens (-128) Nationwide [69 in Seoul]
75,391 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
989,107 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
2,917,832 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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3.
Mission: Impossible 3
Official Website
2006 USA - dir. J. J. Abrams
[Cast: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Maggie Q]
Distributed By UIP - Released on May 4
12.0% (-10.3%) Share - 1,157 (-412) Per Screen Avg. - 241 Screens (-82) Nationwide [57 in Seoul]
66,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
1,697,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
5,268,000 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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4.
Over The Hedge
Official Website
2006 USA - dir. Tim Johnson/Karey Kirkpatrick
[Voices: Hwang Jung-Min, Shin Dong-Yeop, BoA]
Distributed By CJ Entertainment - Released on May 31
10.9% (New%) Share - 1,200 (New) Per Screen Avg. - 220 Screens (New) Nationwide [50 in Seoul]
60,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
111,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
363,000 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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5.
짝패 (The City of Violence)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - dir. Ryu Seung-Wan
[Cast: Ryu Seung-Wan, Jung Doo-Hong, Lee Beom-Soo, Ahn Gil-Gang, Kim Seo-Hyung]
Distributed By CJ Entertainment - Released on May 25
8.5% (-8.8%) Share - 1,044 (-876) Per Screen Avg. - 236 Screens (-44) Nationwide [45 in Seoul]
47,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
230,000 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
849,000 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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6.
모노폴리 (Monopoly)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - dir. Lee Hang-Bae
[Cast: Yang Dong-Geun, Kim Sung-Soo, Yoon Ji-Min, Han Dae-Soo]
Distributed By Lotte Entertainment - Released on May 31
6.5% (New) Share - 1,321 (New) Per Screen Avg. - 175 Screens (New) Nationwide [27 in Seoul]
35,691 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
59,801 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
224,694 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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7.
호로비츠를 위하여 (For Horowitz)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - dir. Kwon Hyung-Jin
[Cast: Eom Jung-Hwa, Park Yong-Woo, Shin Ui-Jae, Yoon Ye-Ri, Choi Seon-Ja]
Distributed By Showbox - Released on May 25
4.8% (-5.5%) Share - 629 (-495) Per Screen Avg. - 199 Screens (-82) Nationwide [42 in Seoul]
26,427 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
131,683 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
391,147 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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8.
구타유발자들 (A Bloody Aria)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - Dir. Won Shin-Yeon
[Cast: Han Suk-Gyu, Lee Moon-Shik, Oh Dal-Soo, Cha Ye-Ryeon, Kim Shi-Hoo]
Distributed By Prime Entertainment - Released on May 31
3.5% (New) Share - 602 (New) Per Screen Avg. - 165 Screens (New) Nationwide [32 in Seoul]
19,275 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
34,420 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
102,285 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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9.
생, 날선생 (Mr. Wacky)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - dir. Kim Dong-Wook
[Cast: Park Geon-Hyung, Kim Hyo-Jin, Lee Kyeon, Kang Eun-Bi, Jung Wook]
Distributed By Cinema Service - Released on May 25
0.2% (-5.4%) Share - 186 (-632) Per Screen Avg. - 199 Screens (New) Nationwide [38 in Seoul]
1,495 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
52,325 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
247,757 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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10.
가족의 탄생 (Familiy Ties)
Official Website
2006 KOREA - dir. Kim Tae-Yong
[Cast: Moon So-Ri, Eom Tae-Woong, Go Doo-Shim, Gong Hyo-Jin, Bong Tae-Gyu]
Distributed By Lotte Entertainment - Released on May 18
0.2% (-0.8%) Share - 325 (-106) Per Screen Avg. - 12 Screens (-98) Nationwide [4 in Seoul]
1,302 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Weekend)
71,561 Tickets Sold in Seoul (Total)
219,293 Tickets Sold Nationwide

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COMPLETE BOX OFFICE LIST - 2006
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[Sources: KOFIC, nKino, KOBIS]

01. 6,105,431 - 투사부일체 (My Boss, My Teacher)
02. 2,575,999 - 음란서생 (Forbidden Quest)
03. 2,340,547 - 맨발의 기봉이 (Barefoot Gi-Bong)
04. 2,286,000 - 달콤, 살벌한 연인 (My Scary Girl)
05. 2,042,554 - 청춘만화 (Almost Love)
06. 2,061,419 - 사생결단 (Bloody Tie)
07. 1,858,668 - 구세주 (Oh! My God)
08. 1,824,822 - 흡혈형사 나도열 (Vampire Cop Ricky)
09. 1,458,896 - 홀리데이 (Holiday)
10. 1,313,727 - 싸움의 기술 (The Art of Fighting)
11. 1,021,639 - 데이지 (Daisy)
12. 1,016,152 - 야수 (Running Wild)
13. 849,000 - 짝패 (The City of Violence)
14. 740,489 - 방과후 옥상 (See You After School)
15. 680,207 - 여교수의 은밀한 매력 (Bewitching Attraction)
16. 629,596 - 백만장자의 첫사랑 (A Millionnaire's First Love)
17. 570,000 - 공필두 (A Big Match)
18. 529,138 - 사랑을 놓치다 (Lost in Love)
19. 423,965 - 로망스 (Romance)
20. 391,147 - 호로비츠를 위하여 (For Horowitz)
21. 372,050 - 도마뱀 (Love Phobia)
22. 247,757 - 생, 날선생 (Mr. Wacky)
23. 234,000 - 국경의 남쪽 (Over The Border)
24. 224,694 - 모노폴리 (Monopoly)
25. 219,293 - 가족의 탄생 (Family Ties)
26. 172,693 - 손님은 왕이다 (The Customer Is Always Right)
27. 132,000 - 연리지 (Now and Forever)
28. 107,652 - 마이캡틴, 김대출 (My Captain, Kim Dae-Chul)
29. 102,285 - 구타유발자들 (A Bloody Aria)
30. 83,293 - 카리스마 탈출기 (The Legend of 7 Cutter)
31. 46,239 - 썬데이 서울 (Sunday Seoul)
32. 13,606 - 다섯 개의 시선 (If You Were Me 2)
33. 7,998 - 마법사들 (The Magicians)
34. 4,703 - 모두들, 괜찮아요? (Family Matters)
35. 2,409 - 망종 (Grain In Ear)
36. 2,084 - 피터팬의 공식 (The Peter Pan Formula)
37. 1,630 - 눈부신 하루 (One Shining Day)
38. 1,508 - 신성일의 행방불명 (The Forgotten Child: Shin Sung Il Is Lost)
39. 783 - 달려라 장미 (Way to Go, Rose)
40. 25 - 창공으로... (Blue Sky)

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All Time Box Office Top 20 (Korean Films)
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01. 왕의 남자 (The King and The Clown) - Dir. Lee Joon-Ik - 12,298,280 [2005]
02. 태극기 휘날리며 (Taegukgi) - Dir. Kang Je-Gyu - 11,746,135 [2004]
03. 실미도 (Silmido) - Dir. Kang Woo-Suk - 11,108,000 [2003]
04. 친구 (Friend) - Dir. Kwak Kyung-Taek - 8,180,000 [2001]
05. 웰컴 투 동막골 (Welcome To Dongmakgol) - Dir. Park Gwang-Hyun - 8,002,594 [2005]
06. 쉬리 (Shiri) - Dir. Kang Je-Gyu - 6,210,000 [1999]
07. 투사부일체 (My Boss, My Teacher) - Dir. Kim Dong-Won - 6,105,431 [2006]
08. 공동경비구역 JSA (Joint Security Area) - Dir. Park Chan-Wook - 5,830,000 [2000]
09. 가문의 위기 (Marrying The Mafia 2) - Dir. Jung Yong-Gi - 5,663,000 [2005]
10. 조폭 마누라 (My Wife is a Gangster) - Dir. Jo Geun-Shik - 5,250,000 [2001]
11. 가문의 영광 (Marrying the Mafia) - Dir. Jung Heung-Soon - 5,200,001 [2002]
12. 말아톤 (Marathon) - Dir. Jung Yoon-Cheol - 5,148,022 [2005]
13. 살인의 추억 (Memories of Murder) - Dir. Bong Joon-Ho - 5,120,000 [2003]
14. 엽기적인 그녀 (My Sassy Girl) - Dir. Kwak Jae-Yong - 4,841,500 [2001]
15. 동갑내기 과외하기 (My Tutor Friend) - Dir. Kim Kyung-Hyung - 4,810,000 [2003]
16. 신라의 달밤 (Kick The Moon) - Dir. Kim Sang-Jin - 4,353,800 [2001]
17. 태풍 (Typhoon) - Dir. Kwak Kyung-Taek - 4,180,000 [2005]
18. 집으로 (The Way Home) - Dir. Lee Jung-Hyang - 4,091,000 [2002]
19. 색즉시공 (Sex is Zero) - Dir. Yoon Je-Gyun - 4,089,900 [2002]
20. 공공의 적 2 (Another Public Enemy) - Dir. Kang Woo-Suk - 3,911,356 [2005]