Makoto Shinkai's Latest Film Surpasses 'The First Slam Dunk' as Best-Selling Japanese Film in Korea

Poster of the Japanese animated film "Suzume"

Japanese director Makoto Shinkai's latest animated film "Suzume" has broken box-office records in Korea, reaching 4.48 million in ticket sales as of Saturday. The film, which was released on March 8, has now become the best-selling Japanese film in Korea of all time, surpassing the previous record set by "The First Slam Dunk."

Shinkai, known for his films "Your Name" (2016) and "Weathering With You" (2019), both of which broke box-office records upon release, tells the story of a schoolgirl named Suzume who goes on an adventure to stop natural disasters happening across Japan. The film topped box offices in Korea for 35 days after its release, breaking records exceptionally fast, surpassing one million ticket sales in just six days, followed by two million in 13 days, and three million in 20 days.

The success of "Suzume" is attributed to the visual beauty and the cinematography of Shinkai's signature style, the original soundtrack, and emotional stimulation from the story. Shinkai, who visited Korea early last month, will make another visit between April 27 and 30 to thank Korean audiences for their love and support for "Suzume," according to local reports.

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BlueYIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com