KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND November 3 - 5 2006 (77% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admissions | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total ($) |
| The Devil Wears Prada (US) 20th Fox | 2 | 204,428 | 1,247,415,700 | 1,331,003 | 176 | 4,605,034 |
| Death Note (Jap) UIP | NEW | 198,887 | 1,131,263,500 | 1,207,067 | 166 | 1,365,307 |
| Educating Kidnappers (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | NEW | 160,402 | 986,269,400 | 1,034,218 | 233 | 1,246,865 |
| Hearty Paws (South Korea) ShowBox | 2 | 156,613 | 895,950,900 | 955,987 | 178 | 3,087,487 |
| Tazza: The High Rollers (aka The War of Flowers) (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 6 | 133,745 | 853,251,400 | 910,426 | 168 | 35,312,212 |
| Righteous TIes (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 3 | 137,989 | 843,941,997 | 900,493 | 183 | 8,021,549 |
| The Prestige (UK-US) Warner Bros | NEW | 129,076 | 804,562,500 | 858,475 | 112 | 976,424 |
| Traces of Love (Gaeulro) (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | 2 | 95,775 | 596,601,600 | 636,579 | 178 | 3,076,562 |
| The Guardian (US) BVI | NEW | 64,936 | 404,074,500 | 431,151 | 95 | 495,553 |
| Radio Star (S Korea) Cinema Service | 6 | 29,624 | 189,700,500 | 202,487 | 50 | 9,855,133 |
As you can see the Americans' remain at the top for the second week running. The Devil Wears Prada is obviously very popular. Mind you the work ethic explored in the film is not too disimilar to the intense work culture in Korea (not just in the fashion industry), which is quite interesting in itself.
Educating Kidnappers, which is just behind Japanese film, Death Note; although opening on 233 screens it hasn't managed to attract the punters.
Heart Pawsis still competing up there as is Tazza, which has done remarkably well. Over $35 million will be great news for CJ Entertainment - it will compensate for their loss with the Educating Kidnappers.
Traces of Love is sinking quite rapidly. Just over $3 million may seem alot, but on 178 screens it is struggeling to attract 95,775 people on its second week. Like I said last week, poor reviews haven't helped and releasing it two weeks after the release of World Trade Centre, which is quite similar (a building collapsing, but this is an accident not an act of terrorism) propably hasn't encouraged viewers to go and see it. You can read a little more on film here.
Interestingly Radio Star is still in the chart for a 6th consecutive week on its verge of breaking the $10 million mark - well done! It never once in its 6 week history made No.1, but it has always been in contention, depsite intense competition.
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND November 10 - 12 2006 (78% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admissions | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total ($) |
| Cruel Winter Blues ( S Korea) CJ Entertainment | NEW | 183,394 | 1,131,092,500 | 1,210,955 | 210 | 1,411,137 |
| The Devil Wears Prada (US) 20th Fox | 3 | 151,194 | 924,264,000 | 989,524 | 157 | 6,206,190 |
| Death Note (Jap) UIP | 2 | 157,518 | 895,596,000 | 958,831 | 157 | 2,721,593 |
| Hearty Paws (S Korea) ShowBox | 3 | 121,063 | 667,672,300 | 714,814 | 146 | 4,069,132 |
| The Prestige (UK-US) Warner Bros | 2 | 85,762 | 540,104,500 | 578,239 | 105 | 1,929,866 |
| Silent Hill (Fr-Jap-US) Microvision | NEW | 81,856 | 520,799,500 | 557,571 | 133 | 645,828 |
| Tazza: The High Rollers (aka The War of Flowers (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 7 | 73,522 | 478,133,200 | 511,893 | 129 | 36,399,692 |
| Righteous Ties (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 4 | 58,444 | 351,165,500 | 375,960 | 119 | 8,784,501 |
| Educating Kidnappers (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 58,781 | 342,972,100 | 367,188 | 161 | 1,993,779 |
Another fairly quiet weekend at the box office. After a week where the moderate hit The Devil Wears Prada headed the chart, Korean film Cruel Winter Blues( 열혈남아) starring Seol Kyeong-gu (설경구) opens at No.1, but Prada closely follows on 53 fewer screens.
Hearty Paws (마음이… ) has generated a fairly strong return of just over $4 million, whereas The Prestige is on the verge of hitting $2 million. Mind you on 105 screens, it is not doing badly.
Meanwhile Tazza: The High Rollers (타짜) is still up there and is probably going to hit $40 million if its hasn't already. A review of this film will be up shortly.
Righteous Ties (거룩한 계보) exits with its feet firmly on the ground whereas Educating Kidnappers aka A Cruel Attendance (잔 혹한 출근), whilst there was certainly some optimism from CJ, seeing it was released on 233 screens, $2 million at the box office will be seen as a disappointment.
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND November 18 - 20 2006 (77% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admissions | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total ($) |
| How The Lack of Love Affects Two Men (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | NEW | 179,489 | 1,085,269,600 | 1,155,895 | 221 | 1,430,920 |
| Sexy Teacher (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | NEW | 137,147 | 802,903,300 | 855,153 | 195 | 1,034,948 |
| The Devil Wears Prada (US) 20th Fox | 4 | 115,145 | 688,099,100 | 732,878 | 128 | 7,397,207 |
| Cruel Winter Blues (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 94,356 | 563,743,600 | 600,430 | 168 | 2,528,632 |
| A Good Year (US) 20th Fox | NEW | 82,294 | 519,927,000 | 553,762 | 119 | 645,880 |
| Death Note (Desu Noto) (Jap) UIP | 3 | 77,525 | 440,059,000 | 468,696 | 142 | 3,477,115 |
| Love Me Not (S Korea) ShowBox | 2 | 72,278 | 433,653,400 | 461,874 | 180 | 3,459,511 |
| The Grudge 2 (US) Prime Entertainment | NEW | 66,779 | 381,427,000 | 406,249 | 133 | 515,240 |
| The Prestige (UK-US) Warner Bros | 3 | 52,224 | 328,525,000 | 349,904 | 72 | 2,540,566 |
| Hearty Paws (S Korea) ShowBox | 4 | 53,683 | 298,403,500 | 317,822 | 120 | 4,509,919 |
The box office stays relatively dormant at present, but with the exam season and high pressured jobs in full swing, it is to be expected. When I was in Korea last week, places were suprisingly empty. Perhaps they realised I had arrived...
How the Lack of Love (애정결핍이 두 남자에게 미치는 영향) is ahead with 179,489 admissions, but on 221 screens, this is by no means amazing. Mind you Sexy teacher (누가 그녀와 잤을까?), which also opened last weekend is over 40,000 admissions behind.
How the Lack of Love (애정결핍이 두 남자에게 미치는 영향) directed by Kim Seong-hoon (김성훈) and starring Baek Yoon-sik (백윤식), Bong Tae-gyu (봉태규), Lee Hye-young (이혜영)
The Devil Wears Prada has become the hightest grossing hit at present, whereas the likes of The Grudge 2 hasn't really ignited. That said, however, it is not far behind Love Me Not, which was released on 53 fewer screens. I would of thought Koreans would have had enough of the horrors, especially terrible remakes, though The Grudge is one of the better ones.
Children drama Hearty Paws ((마음이… ) has obvioulsy won the Korean hearts, young and old with an exit of over $4.5 million - not bad!
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND November 24 - 26 2006 (75% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day admissions | 3-day gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross ($) |
| Sunflower (S Korea) ShowBox | NEW | 267,065 | 1,623,336,900 | 1,741,591 | 228 | 1,994,662 |
| The Departed (US) Warner Bros | NEW | 191,679 | 1,202,165,200 | 1,289,738 | 186 | 1525,309 |
| Flushed Away (UK-US) CJ Entertainment | NEW | 113,229 | 626,510,400 | 672,149 | 156 | 725,311 |
| Step Up (US) Studio 2.0 | NEW | 93,279 | 551,713,000 | 591,903 | 117 | 688,455 |
| How the Lack of love affects Two Men (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | 2 | 87,134 | 531,183,600 | 569,878 | 187 | 2,523,171 |
| Who Slept with her? (aka Sexy Teacher) (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 68,272 | 398,036,300 | 427,032 | 156 | 1,885,692 |
| The Devil Wears Prada (US) 20th Fox | 5 | 60,045 | 373,007,500 | 400,180 | 106 | 8,176,254 |
| A Good Year (US) 20th Fox | 2 | 28,796 | 183,159,500 | 196,502 | 101 | 1,106,908 |
| The Prestige (UK-US) Warner Bros | 4 | 22,169 | 146,261,000 | 156,916 | 36 | 2,871,642 |
| Death Note (Desu Noto) (Jap) UIP | 4 | 22,600 | 129,396,500 | 138,823 | 74 | 3,779,476 |
Sunflower (해바라기) has taken 267,065, which is a big increase of almost 100,000 comparred to last week's No.1 How the Lack of Love (애정결핍이 두 남자에게 미치는 영향). 해바라기. It has recieved good reviews esepcially from the lead, Kim Rae-won (김래원).
Sunflower (해바라기) directed by Kang Seok-beom (강석범) and starring Kim Rae-won (김래원), Kim Hae-sook (김해숙) & Heo I-jae (허이재)
The 'return of form' from Martin Scorsse with The Departed hasn't done too badly especially seeing the high level of violence in it. That said, Korean films are not exactly immune to sadistic violence.
Hollywood hit Flushed Away has failed to hit No.1, but on 156 screens it is difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, one would hope for a little more for a family film.
For some reason, they keep changing the English names for Korean films. Sexy teacher (누가 그녀와 잤을까?) has now be named Who Slept with her? Mind you, this is a literal translation - perhaps they felt the first title was a little misleading.. Who knows?!
Both The Devil Wears Prada and The Prestige are still attracting the Korean public. Although The Prestige has never in its four week history been placed at the top, or indeed anywhere near the top it has remained consistent, which should please the guys at Warner Bros.
Incidently, UIP (United International Pictures), which now consists of Universal, Paramount and Dreamworks are beginning to integrate into the Korean domestic market. The South Korean branch of UIP will become Universal Pictures International Korea. They will distribute their own universal films as well as domestic products. Meanwhile Paramount and Dreamworks features is expected to be handled by CJ Entertainment.
Source: Screen International (issue 1574 Dec 1 - 7 2006)
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND December 1st- December 3rd 2006 (74% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admission | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross ($) |
| Sunflower (S Korea) | 2 | 188,462 | 1,153,514,100 | 1,242,275 | 199 | 4,273,758 |
| Pan's Labyrinth (Mex, Sp, US) Prime Entertaiment | NEW | 133,170 | 805,783,000 | 867,786 | 141 | 1,030,188 |
| Saw III (US) Lotte Entertainment | NEW | 125,449 | 792,537,400 | 853,522 | 144 | 1,089,788 |
| Once In a Summer (S Korea) ShowBox | NEW | 109,601 | 685,657,300 | 738,417 | 214 | 937,413 |
| The Departed (US) Warner Bros | 2 | 92,183 | 586,197,900 | 631,305 | 165 | 2,757,807 |
| Solace (S Korea) Cinema Service | NEW | 78,301 | 494,947,600 | 533,033 | 154 | 672,311 |
| Step Up (US) Studio 2.0 | 2 | 65,699 | 394,893,000 | 425,279 | 100 | 1,525,837 |
| Flushed Away (UK-US) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 49,576 | 280,429,000 | 302,007 | 146 | 1,185,431 |
| The Devil Wears Prada (US) 20th Fox | 6 | 16,117 | 106,194,500 | 114,366 | 41 | 8,522,854 |
| Rainbow Song (Jap) Dong-A Export | NEW | 14,093 | 84,690,500 | 91,207 | 40 | 118,597 |
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND December 8th- December 10th 2006 (74% Screens Reporting)
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admission | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross ($) |
| I'm A Cyborg But That's Okay (S Korea) | NEW | 326,900 | 1,933,648,300 | 2,101,449 | 255 | 2,586,881 |
| Seducing Mr. Perfect (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | NEW | 259,453 | 1,573,157,400 | 1,709,675 | 275 | 2,032,859 |
| Sunflower (S Korea) ShowBox | 3 | 175,894 | 1,069,048,200 | 1,161,819 | 189 | 6,585,904 |
| Just Friends (US) Studio 2.0 | NEW | 98,690 | 606,208,500 | 658,815 | 120 | 756,117 |
| Pan's Labyrinth (Mex-Sp-US) | 2 | 102,423 | 605,411,000 | 657,948 | 131 | 2,278,022 |
| Saw III (US) Lotte Entertainment | 2 | 69.565 | 439,510,400 | 477,651 | 158 | 2,169,867 |
| Flushed Away (UK-US) CJ Entertainment | 3 | 46,326 | 244,262,000 | 265,459 | 106 | 1,610,131 |
| Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D (US) Buena Vista | 3 | 24,825 | 219,200,500 | 238,223 | 25 | 256,952 |
| Once In A Summer (S Korea) ShowBox | 2 | 33,522 | 207,072,400 | 225,042 | 178 | 1,643,356 |
| The Departed (US) Warner Bros | 3 | 30,864 | 196,097,100 | 213,114 | 116 | 3,434,644 |
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND December 15th- December 17th 2006
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admission | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross ($) |
| 200 Pounds Beauty (S Korea) ShowBox | NEW | 610,083 | 3,550,000,900 | 3,845,946 | 355 | 4,825,186 |
| The Holiday (US) UIP | NEW | 262,887 | 1,649,683,500 | 1,787,209 | 219 | 2,379,440 |
| Seducing Mr.Perfect (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | 2 | 119,767 | 711,860,500 | 771,205 | 209 | 3,544,866 |
| Sunflower (S Korea) ShowBox | 4 | 108,630 | 640,324,900 | 693,706 | 168 | 7,807,945 |
| I'm a Cyborg But That's Okay (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 93,423 | 548,461,000 | 594,186 | 205 | 3,772.589 |
| The World of Silence (S Korea) Prime Entertainment | NEW | 91,669 | 534,709,300 | 579,285 | 153 | 750,657 |
| Pan's Labyrinth (Mex-Sp-US) | 3 | 45,406 | 265,867,500 | 288,032 | 102 | 2,774,300 |
| Just Friends (US) Studio 2.0 | 2 | 33,895 | 208,516,500 | 225,899 | 116 | 1,263,901 |
| Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D (US) Buena Vista | 4 | 14,109 | 123,972,500 | 134,307 | 26 | 463,128 |
| Flushed Away (UK -US) CJ Entertainment | 4 | 16,869 | 90,716,000 | 98,279 | 64 | 1,725,572 |
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND December 22nd- December 24th 2006
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admission | 3-Day Gross (WON) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross |
| Night at the Museum (US) 20th Fox | NEW | 731,851 | 4,121,097,200 | 4,431,287 | 335 | 5,129,157 |
| 200 Pounds Beauty (S Korea) Showbox | 2 | 680,476 | 3,948,682,500 | 4,245,895 | 407 | 11,760,392 |
| The Restless (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | NEW | 526,241 | 3,109,630,300 | 3,343,688 | 390 | 4,304,914 |
| Casino Royale (Czech, Ger, US, UK) Sony PIctures | NEW | 297,849 | 1,832,300,800 | 1,970,216 | 324 | 2,544,409 |
| The Holiday (US) (UIP) | 2 | 192,236 | 1,216,275,500 | 1,307,823 | 236 | 4,819,014 |
| Happy Feet (Aus, US) Warner Bros | NEW | 170,618 | 1,026,407,000 | 1,103,663 | 204 | 1,207,890 |
| Old MIss DIary (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | NEW | 163,537 | 985,539,500 | 1,030,688 | 174 | 1,286,258 |
| The Nativity Story (US) Cinema Service | NEW | 21,259 | 130,221,500 | 140,023 | 106 | 161,749 |
| The Science of Sleep (Fr, ,) Sponge Entertainment | NEW | 7,717 | 51,213,000 | 55,068 | 6 | 70,552 |
| Seducing Mr. Perfect (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | 3 | 6,860 | 41,963,500 | 45,122 | 40 | 3,956,528 |
KOREAN DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE - THREE DAY WEEKEND December 29th- December 31st 2006
| Name of Film | Week | 3-Day Admission | 3-Day Gross (Won) | 3-Day Gross ($) | Screens | Total Gross |
| Night At The Museum (US) 20th Fox | 2 | 747,106 | 4,257,242,900 | 4,577,681 | 337 | 14,093,676 |
| 200 Pounds Beauty (S Korea) ShowBox | 3 | 600,563 | 3,558,518,000 | 3,826,363 | 354 | 20,114,616 |
| Jopog Manura 3 (China, S Korea) ShowBox | NEW | 478,699 | 2,818,624,900 | 3,030,799 | 362 | 3,004,015 |
| The Restless (S Korea) CJ Entertainment | 2 | 178,131 | 1,080,097,800 | 1,161,395 | 289 | 7,958,836 |
| Casino Royale (Czech, Ger, US, UK) Sony Pictures | 2 | 154,359 | 947,849,900 | 1,019,193 | 223 | 528,861 |
| Old Miss Diary (S Korea) Lotte Entertainment | 2 | 139,374 | 816,143,500 | 877,574 | 163 | 3,193,052 |
| The Holiday (US) UIP | 3 | 106,457 | 679,976,000 | 731,157 | 165 | 6,819,944 |
| The Nativity Story (US) Cinema Service | 2 | 105,259 | 130,221,500 | 140,023 | 106 | 161,749 |
| The Science of Sleep (It, Fr) Sponge Entertainment | 2 | 4,227 | 26,406,500 | 28,394 | 6 | 145,304 |
| Little Miss Sunshine (US) 20th Fox | NEW | 3,932 | 26,286,500 | 28,265 | 7 | 79,904 |