Korea's movie scene has been dominated in recent weeks by Hollywood blockbusters.
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" has taken the top spot in terms of ticket sales for five straight weeks drawing 6.89 million viewers, and others like "The King's Man," "Matrix: Resurrection" and "West Side Story" hit theaters while few Korean films were released.
But now Korean films are taking over the silver screen for the Lunar New Year holiday.
"The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure," the sequel to the 2014 hit "The Pirates," hit theaters early this week, along with the political drama "Kingmaker" depicting the presidential race back in 1971. The crime flick, "Special Delivery," starring Park So-dam already opened on Jan. 12.
Cho Sung-jin at movie theater chain CGV said, "This is the first time Korean films to compete since last summer, when 'Escape form Mogadishu' and 'Sinkhole' opened in theaters. We expect the local movie scene to be reinvigorated."
◆ "The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure"
"The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure" is the sequel to the 2014 hit, "The Pirates," which drew 8.6 million viewers. It again blends comedy, action and fantasy, with an entirely new cast featuring Han Hyo-joo, Kang Ha-neul and Lee Kwang-soo.
◆ "Kingmaker"
"Kingmaker," which opened on Wednesday, takes moviegoers back 50 years, when military strongman Park Chung-hee ran against political dissident Kim Dae-jung in the 1971 presidential race.
The movie is a fictionalized account of the real-life memoirs of political strategist Eom Chang-rok, who worked for Kim's campaign. The allure is the tense political battle to win the hearts of voters as a fresh election looms this year.
◆ "Special Delivery"
In this cutting-edge caper, actress Park So-dam plays the lead role of a driver who will deliver any parcel without asking questions, jam-packed with car-chases and other high-octane drama. Since opening in theaters on Jan. 12, it has attracted 230,000 moviegoers thanks to stellar notices.
