“Smugglers” enjoyed a strong hold in its second weekend of release and commanded 42% market share. It delivered $7.09 million, a drop of only 20% on its opening weekend, giving a 12-day cumulative of $26.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council .
“Elemental” is directed by Peter Sohn, a Korean American, who has said that the film is inspired by his own childhood and the sacrifices made by his immigrant parents. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part I” dropped from third place to fifth in its fourth weekend on release in Korea. It earned $1.03 million, advancing its cumulative to $29.7 million since release on July 12.
Korean titles, normally dominant, have shown only inconsistent signs of recovery after a deeply troubling first five months. In June, their market share was 65%, propelled by “The Roundup: No Way Out,” but July saw the market share drop back to 23%. With “Smugglers,” “The Moon” and “Ransomed” August has given local titles 70% of the Korean market, but the year-to-date total is only 35%.