'Speed Scandal' continues speedy run at box-office

"Speed Scandal", a comedy starring Cha Tae-hyeon, remained No. 1 at the Korean box office for the third week in a row, showing no signs of bowing out despite attacks from new releases.

The film portrays a 30-something radio host (played by Cha) who has to confront his long-forgotten past in a situational comedy format. Although the plot is nothing special, Cha pulls off an admirable performance by wisely staying low-key in a way that allows other characters to shine. A host of clever laughter-enducing dialogues also helped to draw in large numbers of people.

"Speed Scandal" sold 544,234 tickets between Friday and Sunday in 530 theaters across the nation, up from 498,684 a week earlier, according to Korean Film Council data. Since the Dec. 4 release, the movie has amassed an attendance figure of 2.54 million, securing sixth slot among top Korean movies of this year.

"Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea", the latest animated feature by renowned Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, sold 330,200 tickets on its opening weekend. The much-anticipated animation, released on Dec. 17, saw 399,791 viewers in five days with the press and individual moviegoers giving largely positive reviews.

The No. 3 slot went to "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" with 316,613 tickets sold over the weekend, while "Twilight" slid by two notches to No. 4 with 208,921 tickets sold. The cumulative tickets sales of "Twilight" reached near the 1 million mark.

"Yes Man", a Hollywood comedy starring Jim Carrey, ranked No. 5, selling 190,000 tickets in the Friday-Sunday period.

"Australia" plunged to No. 6, and its total ticket sales figure, since its Dec. 11 release, came in at 752,774.

"Dalkomhan Geojitmal" ("Lost and Found"), a Korean romantic comedy produced and distributed by CJ Entertainment, ended up selling just 144,447 tickets, even though it was released in 480 theaters. CJ Entertainment, Korea's biggest film production and distribution company, bet big on the movie by securing a large number of theaters with the help of its sister firm, CJ CGV multiplex theater operator, but the results fell far short of expectations.

By Yang Sung-jin