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"My Girlfriend is an Agent" Captivates Viewers' Hearts

The Korean comedy movie "My Girlfriend is an Agent" (directed by Shin Terra and produced by Harimao Pictures) is off to an impressive start.

The production costs of "My Girlfriend is an Agent" amounted to 4.2 billion won, which is quite a lofty amount given the low-budget trend these days. But just 19 days since its opening, it has already drawn more than 2.4 million viewers – the break-even point, according to the production company's estimates.

Since week one, "My Girlfriend is an Agent" has maintained its edge even despite a number of Hollywood blockbusters that opened, including "Knowing", "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "Star Trek XI". During the third week, it even beat Park Chan-wook's "Thirst", which drew significant media attention.

The stellar performance of "My Girlfriend is an Agent" is even more impressive because, despite all odds, it has gained recognition for its outstanding quality.

The film's director Shin Terra has released only two commercial films so far and is relatively unknown compared to Park Chan-wook of "Thirst". Moreover, the film's production costs were less than those of "Thirst", which cost 6 billion won to produce, and it failed to draw as much attention as "Thirst" despite starring top stars Kim Ha-neul and Kang Ji-hwan.

Following suit behind "Scandal Makers", which drew over 8 million viewers early this year, "My Girlfriend is an Agent" has also struck a chord with viewers with its simple-hearted humor.

Unlike the blockbusters of the early 2000s, such as "My Boss, My Hero" and "Marrying the Mafia", which aroused laughter with obscene words and comical behavior, these days viewers seem to prefer movies with cheerful plots and dialogue and characters with distinct personalities who are portrayed by good actors.

In the past, movies with excessive media exposure used to top the box office, but nowadays comedies about spying are most popular thanks to their light subject matter and cheerful sense of humor.

Team manager Kang Hyo-mi from First Look, which oversaw the making of "My Girlfriend is an Agent", said no one expected the movie to succeed because there was excessive competition, but against all odds it managed to gain recognition for its high quality, and captivated viewers' hearts by simply making them laugh.

Kang added that it is also a family-oriented movie because it doesn't deal with any mature subject matter whatsoever, and that its diverse viewers include students and adults who have been on the lookout for fun movies. Its success is expected to continue for the time being as it is currently being shown in 400 theaters.

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