'Humint' has officially started its box-office run.
On the 12th, the film 'Humint' (director Ryu Seung-wan, distributor NEW, production Oyu-naegang) recorded 116,741 admissions on its opening day and a cumulative 131,626 admissions, rising to No. 1 on the overall film box office. As it had recorded nearly 200,000 advance bookings before release, the box-office expectations were proven by the numbers.
In particular, as of 7 a.m. on the day of release (the 11th), the integrated box-office system showed 193,771 advance bookings, setting the highest advance booking figure among films released this year. It became the first film to be chosen by audiences in theaters ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday season.
The upward curve of 'Humint' was already predicted before its release. After ranking first in overall film reservation rate last Sunday, it held the top spot for five consecutive days and established itself as the Lunar New Year holiday's "one-pick movie." The completeness proven through early screenings and the thrill of the action raised expectations among prospective viewers.
Audience reactions in actual screenings are also hot. "Action you must see in theaters," "the density of the action is matched by the narrative," "a refreshing movie to blow away holiday stress," and other favorable reviews have continued, providing word-of-mouth momentum. Audiences empathize with the action because it is not simply gunfights but action densely designed around tensions and emotions between characters.
Above all, where 'Humint' gains its box-office momentum is in its "people." Though clad in the trappings of a spy genre, the film focuses on relationships more than intelligence operations. Like the title's meaning, "human intelligence (HUMINT)," ultimately what moves the board is not technology but human choices and emotions. The clashes that take place over the cold setting of Vladivostok arise not from simple gunfire but from the complex emotional lines of characters who use, deceive and try to protect each other.
Jo In-sung, Park Jeongmin, Park Hae-jun and Shin Sae-kyeong, among others, become entangled with their own motives, creating tensions that move beyond a simple good-versus-evil frame. In particular, Jo In-sung's cool charm and the poignant romance with Shin Sae-kyeong, along with Park Jeongmin's push-and-pull performance that shows fiery emotional appeal while delivering brisk action, are among the major driving forces of the film.
Also, director Ryu Seung-wan's characteristic rough, realistic action remains powerful, but in this film that action is differentiated by functioning as a device that amplifies the characters' emotions, stimulating the audience's senses. The narrative density that attracts a wide audience—from families during the Lunar New Year holiday to action fans—underlies this broad appeal.
'Humint,' which ranked No. 1 at the box office on its opening day, is still maintaining the No. 1 overall film reservation rate, increasing the likelihood of long-term box-office success. If audience inflow expands further starting today (the 13th), when the Lunar New Year holiday fully begins, the early upward trend is expected to accelerate.
'Humint' is showing in theaters nationwide.<
[Photo] OSEN DB / provided by NEW
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