Korea Box Office: AI Fantasy ‘Wonderland’ Takes Weekend Win as ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ Stalls on First Lap
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” a hit in multiple other markets worldwide, crashed on its first lap at the South Korean box office. It failed to make even $1 million in on its opening weekend.
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Instead, “Wonderland,” a sci-fi fantasy about Artificial Intelligence, took the top spot over the weekend.
Opening in fifth place, “Bad Boys 4” earned just $520,000 or 8% of the Korean market over the Friday to Sunday weekend, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Over the five days since its Wednesday theatrical opening, it earned just $803,000.
At this pace, it is unlikely to catch the $3.54 million Korean total of “Bad Boys for Life,” which opened in January 2020.
Competition over the latest weekend was not exactly fierce. Korean-produced “Wonderland” earned a modest $1.66 million in top spot, with a market share of 25%. That was the second weakest first-placed opening of the year. Over the full five days of its opening run, “Wonderland” amassed $3.21 million.
Indeed, the Korean cinema market once again appears to be drifting in pre-summer doldrums. Nationwide weekend revenues were a pitiful $6.5 million.
Directed by Kim Tae-yong, and co-starring Chinese actor Tang Wei and Korea’s Bae Suzy, the well-reviewed “Wonderland” presents two narratives about an AI service in which the living can stay in touch with simulated versions of their dead relatives. Both story lines are interrupted by melodramatic turns – a daughter goes missing, a man waking from a coma – providing the characters and audiences with food for thought.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” which had topped the Korean charts for the previous two sessions, earned $1.40 million as it fell by 38% and from first place to second in its third weekend of release. After 19 days in Korean cinemas, it has amassed $10.6 million. That makes “Furiosa” the eighth-ranking film this year in Korea and the fourth-highest import title.
Korean picture, “Following” held on to its third spot for a third weekend. It earned $6.60 million, or a 10% market share. After nearly four weeks on release, it has accumulated $7.75 million.
Korean-made actioner, “The Roundup: Punishment” added $515,000 in fourth place, on its seventh weekend. Since opening on April 24, the Don Lee-starring picture has earned $79.2 million.
“The Plot,” a Korean crime actioner, slumped from second place to sixth. It earned $368,000 on its second weekend. Its cumulative total after 12 days is $3.27 million.
New release Japanese animation title “Detective Conan vs Kid the Phantom Thief” opened in seventh position with $316,000 over the weekend. Over five days, it earned $627,000.
Newly released European art house title “The Zone of Interest” earned $245,000 over the weekend, in eighth position. Over five days, it achieved $446,000.
Japanese animation, “Haikyu! The Dumpster Battle” earned $173,000 in its third weekend for a cumulative of $4.69 million.
“The Garfield Movie” which also opened three weeks ago, earned $147,000 for a three-weekend total of $2.12 million. Local charts show it in ninth position due to higher ticket sales numbers than “Haikyu!”
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