Success of "The Roundup: Punishment" Drives Surge in Revenue

Courtesy of ABO Entertainment

Last month marked the highest April box office revenue for Korean films, driven by the success of "The Roundup: Punishment," according to a report released on Tuesday by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

The report stated that box office revenue reached a record high of 63.6 billion won ($46.4 million) in April, marking the second consecutive month of breaking revenue records. March also saw record-breaking admissions, largely due to the success of the occult movie "Exhuma."
 

▲ The Roundup: Punishment / Courtesy of ABO Entertainment

The April revenue figure was double the 31.8 billion won recorded during the same month in 2017-2019, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film industry.

In contrast, foreign films performed poorly, generating 26.4 billion won in revenue, approximately 35 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

KOFIC attributed the weak performance of foreign films to the absence of blockbuster Hollywood movies, partly due to the aftermath of last year's Hollywood strike. 

▲ “The Roundup: Punishment” / Courtesy of ABO Entertainment

"The Roundup: Punishment," a crime-action film featuring Ma Dong-seok, was released on April 24 and has attracted over 9.7 million viewers to date.

However, concerns have emerged in the film industry regarding the dominance of a single film in local theaters, fueled by its record-high screening occupancy rates. Within days of its release, the movie achieved an 82 percent screening occupancy rate, the highest since 2012, according to KOFIC.

Sayart 

Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com