The film "Veteran" has topped the Korean box office for the fourth week in a row, becoming one of the most watched films in Korean film history.
According to the American entertainment publication Variety, the film sold more than 10 million tickets by the end of August, earning about $72 million. Only 17 Korean films have managed to attract 10 million viewers.
"Veteran" is the second film by CJ Entertainment to reach this milestone, the first being "Ode To My Father."
Hwang Jung Min appears in both of those hit CJ Entertainment films. He chose to act in "Veteran" because the script was such a memorable read.
"There are books that are interesting enough to make me want to give them to my friends as a present. I choose screenplays just like that," said Hwang in an August interview with the Yonhap News Agency.
In "Veteran" Hwang plays Seo Do Cheol, a hard-hitting detective, whose aggressive pursuit of justice pits him against the corrupt corporate heir Jo Tae Oh, played by Yoo Ah In.
As the heir to the Sunjin Group, Jo Tae Oh has plenty of connections and he uses them top cover up his actions. No matter how hard Seo Do Cheol pursues the truth about the mysterious death of a truck driver, Jo Tae Oh uses his money and influence to escape.
Jo Tae Oh is Yoo Ah In's first evil role. In an interview with the Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo, he spoke about his decision to take the role.
"If I try to find anything good to say about my acting, it would be consistency," said Yoo. "But consistency can also mean boring. If you become predictable, then it's no fun. I want to be a fun person, a fun actor and I wanted to see a new side of me."
He said he was tired of always seeing the same side of himself.
"I wanted to express some new personal qualities," said Yoo.
Ryu Seung Wan, who directed the 2010 film "The Unjust," also directed "Veteran." As moral as both stories are, Ryu Seung Hwan described "Veteran" as a much more entertaining film than "The Unjust." He called it a "popcorn movie."
Box office results seem to agree. The film, which also stars Yoo Hae Jin, Oh Dal Su, Jang Yoon Ju, Jin Kyung, Cheon Ho Jin, and Kim Shi Hoo, will have its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
