A seismic shift has indeed occurred in the Korean film industry. 'The Pact,' the Republic of Korea's first occult political thriller directed by Kim Nam-kyun and produced by Yeolgong Film Production Co., Ltd., with co-distribution by Smile ENT and Blue Film Works, was released on June 2 with a production cost of approximately 1.5 billion won, surpassing the audience numbers of the Hollywood mega blockbuster 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning,' which had a production cost of 560 billion won (about 400 million dollars), and achieving a miraculous second place in the total box office on its release day. This remarkable achievement can be likened to the battle between David and Goliath, delivering a tremendous shock to the theater industry.
According to the integrated ticketing system of the Korean Film Council, 'The Pact' attracted 60,118 viewers nationwide on its release day, June 2, proudly securing second place in the box office. This figure exceeded the 59,922 audience count of 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning' (third place) on the same day and was only slightly less than that of the domestic blockbuster 'High Five' (first place, 75,559 viewers), which had a production cost of 20 billion won.
What is even more astonishing is that 'The Pact' achieved this remarkable record under unfavorable conditions, with significantly fewer screens and showtimes compared to competing films. On its opening day, 'The Pact' was shown in just 536 screens with only 1,296 showings. Despite having far fewer screening opportunities than the first and third place box office films, it achieved this valuable result solely through the strength of the film and the explosive word of mouth from viewers.
'The Pact's' early success, which is almost like a phenomenon, is attributed to its sharp and intense lines and slogans that pierce through reality, such as "I sat in the place of the dead while still alive!", "Everything started from her," and "Is my wife connected to shamanism? That's all fake news!", along with Kim Gyu-ri's mesmerizing transformation in performance resembling the 'former first lady' with overwhelming synchronization, and the genre appeal of being Korea's first 'occult political thriller' that resonated well with audiences.
The VIP premiere held on the evening of the release day also concluded successfully with the attendance of lead actors Kim Gyu-ri, Joo Seong-hwan, Kim In-woo, Myung Gye-nam, Cha Ji-hyun, and Park Chan-woo, among others. The enthusiastic responses from actual viewers, including 'standing ovation for the ending credits!' and 'catharsis of tears and thrill!' further proved the film's strong artistic merit and brightened its box office outlook for the opening weekend.
Meanwhile, the film 'The Pact' depicts the fierce struggle between a woman named 'Yoon Ji-hee' (played by Kim Gyu-ri), who seeks to wield power through mysterious forces, and a journalist who unveils the enormous truth hidden above her.
[Photo] Yeolgong Film Production Co., Ltd.
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