Korean Films Dominate Local Box Office

The first half of this year saw some furrowed brows in Korea's film industry, but the summer is looking better with some Korean productions doing well at the box office.
The crowd pleasers include a mix of sci-fi, drama, and comedy.
Kim Youngwon has this story.
There seems to be no shortage of hot Korean films this summer, with domestic flicks grabbing over three-quarters of nationwide ticket sales in August.
Leading the charge is the sci-fi blockbuster "D-War".
Drawing in 7 million viewers and counting, the movie has become the 7th biggest Korean film of all time.
And much of the credit goes to director-cum-comedian Shim Hyungrae whose six-year struggle to produce the work in Hollywood won the sympathy of fans at home.
Though reviews go both ways, it still keeps packing in the crowds who awe over a bonanza of visual effects and computer graphics.
Then there's "Hwaryeohan Hyuga" or "May 18" a drama whose theater run has spilled well over its original schedule and has reached 6 million viewers.
All age groups are drawn to its portrayal of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, a turning point in Koreans' fight for democracy.
For lighter fare, moviegoers are also swarming to the comedy 'Underground Rendez-vous" and the romance "Changing Partners".
After opening last week, both have landed on the top five of the box office.
And it looks like theaters will keep fans of domestic film glued to screens well into the fall, as a strong movie lineup is set for release just in time for Chuseok, Korea's Thanksgiving holiday.

Kim Youngwon, Arirang News.

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