The first place for Chuseok theater went to Pawn. This year’s Chuseok holiday drew attention as a three-way race among Pawn, The Golden Holiday, and Night of the Undead. Pawn gave The Golden Holiday the No. 1 spot on the first day of its release, but pushed it down to No. 2 the very next day, continuing its solid position till the end. However, due to the aftermath of COVID-19, the total number of moviegoers was only one-third of what was recorded in the previous year. Let’s look at the results that the three Korean films, which aimed for the Chuseok holiday season but only realized the high wall of COVID-19, received. (As of Oct. 5, provided by the Korean Film Council)
Pawn (released on 2020.09.29)
Cumulative Audience: 868,298
Pawn debuted at No. 2 on the box office on the day of its release, attracting 67,610 moviegoers, but it successfully blasted throughout the Chuseok holiday season at No. 1 as it drew attention as “a warm family movie.” Pawn tells the story of a private moneylender who unexpectedly raises a 9-year-old girl that he took as a collateral. During the five-day holiday, the movie attracted an average of 100,000 viewers a day, with a total of 750,000 moviegoers. It recorded a cumulative 868,298 admissions and is about to hit 1 million.
The Golden Holiday (released on 2020.09.29)
Cumulative Audience: 460,673
The comic investigation drama The Golden Holiday took second place. It tells the story of a detective who gets caught up in a global crime while traveling abroad for the first time in his life, and drew keen attention as Kwak Do Won’s first comedy film. On the first day of its release, the movie started out as No. 1 with 85,855 viewers, but has since remained at No. 2 behind Pawn. The Golden Holiday opens in Singapore on Oct. 22 and is coordinating its release in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Night of the Undead (released on 2020.09.29)
Cumulative Audience: 90,748
Night of the Undead, which was first to confirm its release, received a gloomy report card. So far, the cumulative audience stands at 90,748. This film grabbed attention as a new film by director Shin Jung Won, best known for To Catch A Virgin Ghost, Chaw, and Ghost Sweepers, but failed to captivate the moviegoers due to its clear pros and cons. Being pushed down to No. 4 on the first day by the disaster film Greenland starring Gerard Butler, it has been struggling at the box office without signs of a rebound.
The Swordsman, starring Jang Hyuk, and Diva, starring Shin Min Ah, are also down on luck. The two films attracted 176,514 and 103,279 moviegoers, respectively.
