It was a holiday weekend in Korea so plenty of people went to the movies. And the winner at the box office was "The Throne," starring Yoo Ah In, Song Kang Ho and Moon Geun Young.
"The Throne" ruled the box office for a second week, bringing in four million viewers in the 13 days since it was released. According to the Korean media outlet OSEN, the film attracted a total of 670,000 viewers over the Chuseok holiday, which began on September 27. As of September 29, the Korean Film Council reported that the film has sold a total of 4,263,947 tickets. Ticket sales are expected to exceed five million by the next weekend.
The film tells the tragic story of King Yeong Jo and his son Crown Prince Sado. History indicates that the prince suffered from mental illness. He was accused of randomly killing people in the palace and being a serial rapist. The king could not execute him but had to find a way to stop his crimes. History has debated whether the prince was framed but the journals of his wife, Lady Hyegyeong testify to his crimes.
The film has been submitted as a foreign language film contender for the 2016 Academy Awards.
Second place in the box office went to the comedy thriller "Accidental Detective," which stars Kwon Sang Woo. The film attracted 356,699 viewers.
The "Accidental Detective" story follows Kang Dae Man, played by Kwon. Kang Dae Man is the owner of a comic book cafe and a blogger, who dreams of becoming a police officer. Unfortunately he was not able to pass the physical exam. Despite his physical shortcomings he can't give up the dream. He begins to visit police stations to offer unwanted advice to the detectives. Things take a dramatic turn when he gets involved in a closed murder case because he feels a friend was framed.
It's Kwon's first comedy since 2006. He figured it would be a fun choice for Chuseok moviegoers.
In an interview with the Korean media publication Yonhap News, he said, "Holidays should be fun. Why would a family get together to watch something depressing or serious."
Third place in the box office went to the American production "Maze Runner: Scorch Trails," starring Dylan O'Brien and Korean-American actor Ki Hong Lee. The film attracted 231,241 viewers.
