The success of "The Roundup'' has not slowed as Ma Dong Seok and Son Seok Koo's action comedy film hit another milestone. The highly anticipated film is the sequel to the 2017 blockbuster movie "The Outlaws," which stars Ma Dong Seok, also known by his American name Don Lee, reprising his role as top-notched detective Ma Suk Do. Joining the Korean-American actor is Son Seok Koo as the new villain and Choi Gwi Hwa returning as Chief Jeon.

'The Roundup' Garners 12.5 Million Viewers Since Debut

After almost two months in theaters, the number of audiences of "The Roundup" climbed to 12.5 million as cited by a local outlet.

The action-comedy movie, also known as "The Outlaws 2," was released on May 18 and reigned at the Korean box office for weeks. It is also the fastest movie since the pandemic hit the one million mark.

In addition, "The Roundup" reached 10 million viewers in just 25 days since its premiere. Shortly after, the highly anticipated sequel hit another milestone, making it the 14th film in the history of Korean movies to surpass 12 million audiences.

As the movie reached impressive achievements at the Korean box office, Ma Dong Seok and Son Seok Koo's movie is premiering in various countries.

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It includes the Philippines, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and more. Unfortunately, one country did not allow "The Roundup" to air in their local theaters.

'The Roundup' Controversy: Ma Dong Seok's Movie Gets Banned in Vietnam Because of THIS

While the sequel gained rising expectations for a worldwide box office, "The Roundup" was banned in Vietnam.

According to the same outlet, Lotte Entertainment, who is in charge of overseas distribution of the movie, applied for a review of "The Roundup" with the Film Bureau under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Vietnam back in May.

Unfortunately, the film bureau rejected the request, pointing out the concern of censorship. Based on the aforementioned outlet, the Vietnamese officials cited that the blockbuster movie shows too much violence.

"There are too many violent scenes in the movie," as obtained by the outlet. In addition, "The Roundup" also portrayed the country as a "lawless area where Korean criminals kidnap and murder tourists in Ho Chi Minh."

Besides Vietnam banning the movie, the action-comedy sequel also faced criticisms from mental health groups.

'The Roundup' Hit By A Controversy Involving People With Mental Disorder

According to a news portal, the Korea Association for Mental Disorders and the Research Institute for the Rights and Interests of the Disabled sought the help of the Human Rights Commission.

They demanded to stop the screening of "The Roundup" and wanted an apology after depicting people who have mental illness negatively.

The scene illustrates a man donning a hospital uniform, storming inside a local supermarket, and starting a hostage crisis.

The group claimed that the scene might give the public a negative implication to those who are suffering from mental disorders.

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Written by Geca Wills