The film “The King's Warden” is riding another wave of momentum after the Lunar New Year rush, turning on a green light for a potential 10 million admissions milestone.
Released on the 4th, “The King's Warden” topped 6 million viewers nationwide in just 20 days, putting the 10 million mark within reach. Now in its fourth week, the movie is drawing nearly twice as many daily viewers as it did in its opening week, showing no signs of slowing down.
After exploding over the Lunar New Year holiday, the film is set for another boost with the March 1 long weekend. This year, March 1 falls on a Sunday, making Monday, March 2 a substitute public holiday.
In theaters, Friday through Sunday is typically considered the weekend, and those three days usually draw about 1.5 times the weekday audience. With Monday now a holiday, the upcoming stretch becomes a full four days, setting the stage for a March 1 weekend bump.
During its fourth weekend and the March 1 holiday period (February 27-March 1), “The King's Warden” is expected to secure a crucial springboard toward 10 million admissions. The film pulled 2.66 million viewers over the five-day Lunar New Year frame, and attention is now on how many it can add during the March 1 weekend.
Its reservation rate stands at 67.8%, with 340,000 advance tickets sold as of 2:20 p.m. That’s nearly a tenfold lead over No. 2 title “HUMINT,” signaling a likely solo run at the box office. Strong word of mouth continues to spread, driving in first-time viewers and even repeat watchers.
At this pace, the film could enter “10 million countdown” mode as early as next weekend.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)