The movie 'The Opposition' (directed by Hwang Byung-kook) continues its box office success with its excitement befitting an adults-only rating and dopamine-inducing entertainment, securing the overall box office first place during its opening weekend and proving its overwhelming draw during its release week.
'The Opposition' is a crime action film that unfolds as a broker designing the Korean drug trade, a prosecutor aiming for higher status, and a detective betting everything on eradicating drug crime intertwine with different objectives.
According to the integrated ticketing system, the movie 'The Opposition' attracted 608,140 viewers from April 18 (Friday) to April 20 (Sunday) during its opening weekend, recording a cumulative audience of 786,068 and reaching the top of the weekend box office. Notably, 'The Opposition' surpassed the opening week audience count records of other Korean films released in 2025, such as 'The Game' (700,838 viewers) and 'Hitman 2' (604,875 viewers), claiming the highest opening week score among Korean films released this year. Furthermore, it overwhelmingly exceeded the cumulative audience count records of other adults-only rated Korean films released after COVID-19, such as 'Hidden Face' (354,454 viewers) and 'Nobleman' (347,768 viewers), setting new highs in that category as well.
The momentum of 'The Opposition' contrasts with 'The Insider', which holds the record for the highest audience count among adults-only rated films with a cumulative viewership of 7,073,581 and 'The Insider: The Original' with a cumulative viewership of 2,084,909. Both films are produced by the well-made production company HYBE, which has created many successful works, and they recorded the same CGV Golden Egg Index of 97% (as of 7 a.m. on April 21), generating significant word-of-mouth among actual viewers after their releases. Notably, 'The Opposition' increased from a CGV Golden Egg index of 96% at release to 97% after the first weekend, demonstrating overwhelming satisfaction from actual viewers. The dopamine-inducing performances of the actors, who maximize the believability of their characters like in 'The Insider', as well as elements that reflect social realities and the story, have received acclaim, proving the appeal of an adults-only rated film that possesses both entertainment and craftsmanship. In this way, 'The Opposition' inherits the box office baton from 'The Insider', which recorded the highest score among adults-only rated films, raising expectations for a new box office guide for adult-rated films in theaters.
Along with this, 'The Opposition' is capturing audiences with its dopamine-inducing performances from actors, thrilling action, and a gripping story rich in timeliness and realism, becoming a must-see film that excels in both entertainment and box office potential. In response to the warm support for the film, the main cast of 'The Opposition' met with audiences during stage greetings at theaters in Busan and Daegu over the weekend. The media, critics, and viewers have showered praise on the film, and attention is focused on the box office run that 'The Opposition' will continue after spectacularly kicking off the opening weekend.
[Photo] Movie poster
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