South Korea’s box office turned into a test of two different release strategies over the Oct. 30–Nov. 1 weekend. A Japanese anime franchise held the top spot for a third consecutive frame, while a Brad Pitt thriller opened wide and landed second.
Chiikawa’s third weekend at No. 1
Toho-distributed ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island’ earned $1.7 million from 221,651 admissions across 1,167 screens, according to KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council. It claimed 32.1% of the weekend market. Since its Sep. 30 rollout, the film’s cumulative total stands at $20.1 million from 2,583,851 admissions.
That staying power matters. For distributors, it shows a fan-driven anime title can hold screens through a quiet frame and keep earning without a blockbuster-sized opening. The title is functioning as a slate anchor rather than a one-weekend novelty.
Heart of the Beast opens solid but second
Sony Pictures and TriStar’s survival thriller ‘Heart of the Beast’ opened with $1.2 million from 162,790 admissions across 1,106 screens, capturing 23% of theatrical revenue. Including its Oct. 28 midweek bow, it has accumulated $1.5 million from 215,237 admissions.
A wide Hollywood release with a major star could not take the top slot. In Korea’s admissions-led market, holding screens matters as much as opening scale, and anime’s repeat audience gave it the edge.
Deeper in the chart
- ‘Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng’ debuted third with $326,609 from 44,799 admissions, reaching a $505,208 cume since its Oct. 28 start.
- ‘The Assassin(s)’ added $307,719 in its sixth weekend; its cume is $25.5 million from 3,448,036 admissions.
- ‘Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub’ crossed two million admissions, lifting its total to $15.7 million.
- ‘The Odyssey’ kept its long-run story going with a $106.4 million total from 12,335,377 admissions.
What the numbers say
The weekend market totalled $5.3 million, down from $5.6 million last weekend. That dip is modest, but it shows the slate is relying on holdovers rather than new tentpoles. The admissions metric also produced a useful quirk: ‘Clayface’ placed eighth in admissions with 16,641 viewers but generated $140,321, more than seventh-placed ‘Paradise Lost’, which earned $124,104. In Korea, ticket count is the chart language; revenue can tell a different story.
For media planners and release teams, the frame is a simple read: anime can be programmed for the long run, while star-driven Hollywood fare may need a clearer audience reason to win the No. 1 spot.
Source: Variety
