The Release of “The Roundup: Punishment” Makes Waves in Korean Cinema
The latest installment of the beloved “The Roundup” film series, “Punishment,” quickly became the talk of the town upon its April 24, 2024 release. Garnering immense anticipation, it stormed South Korean cinemas with over 800 thousand tickets sold on its debut day, surpassing the 330 thousand tickets sold by “Exhuma.”
These first-day ticket sales for “The Roundup: Punishment” mark the highest in 2024 thus far. Yet, they fall short of surpassing the impressive figures achieved by previous films, including Ma Dong Seok CS. To delve deeper, let’s explore the list below featuring nine Korean films with remarkable first-day ticket sales:
1. The epic “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018) enthralled audiences, selling 1.24 million tickets on its debut day.
trailer for the film Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (facebook.com/lotteent.movie)2. “The Battleship Island” (2017) received acclaim, selling 972 thousand tickets on its opening day.
Trailer: The Battleship Island
trailer for the film The Battleship Island (doc. CJ ENM/The Battleship Island)3. “Train to Busan” (2016), with its gripping zombie narrative, drew 872 thousand viewers on its first day.
Behind-the-scenes footage: Train to Busan
behind-the-scenes footage of the film Train to Busan (facebook.com/its.NEW.contents)4. “The Roundup: Punishment” (2024) surpassed its predecessors with 821 thousand viewers on its debut.
trailer for the film The Roundup: Punishment (instagram.com/ba_enter)5. “The Roundup: No Way Out” (2023) also achieved remarkable success, selling 740 thousand tickets on its opening day.
trailer for the film The Roundup: No Way Out (instagram.com/aboentertainment)6. Starring Song Kang Ho, “A Taxi Driver” (2017) attracted 698 thousand viewers on its debut, totaling 12.18 million viewers.
trailer for the film A Taxi Driver (doc. Showbox/A Taxi Driver)7. With an unparalleled sales record of 17 million, “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” (2014) sold 682 thousand tickets on its first day.
trailer for the film The Admiral: Roaring Currents (doc. CJ ENM/The Admiral: Roaring Currents)8. “Snowpiercer” (2013), featuring Hollywood star Chris Evans, garnered 601 thousand ticket sales on its official release.
trailer for the film Snowpiercer (doc. CJ ENM/Snowpiercer)9. The highly-anticipated reunion of Song Kang Ho and director Bong Joon Ho in “Parasite” (2019) drew 568 thousand viewers on its debut.
Trailer: Parasite
trailer for the film Parasite (doc. CJ ENM/Parasite)The achievements of these nine films are truly remarkable. With eight out of nine surpassing five to ten million viewers, it’s evident that Korean cinema continues to captivate audiences. Let’s eagerly anticipate the box office performance of “The Roundup: Punishment” and its future endeavors.