Hollywood Strikes Back Amid Korean Cinema's Strong Run

[Anchor]

This year, Korean films, including "The King and the Man," have been showing remarkable momentum. However, starting this week, Hollywood is set to challenge that dominance with its own "familiar flavors."

Reporter Lee Joo-hyoung has the story.

[Reporter]

South Korea is one of the few countries where domestic films have not been overshadowed by Hollywood productions.

In particular, this year, as the film market shows signs of recovery, four out of the top five box office hits are Korean films.

The market share in terms of revenue for the first half of the year is more than double that of Hollywood films, marking the highest level in the past decade.

Even global hits like "Super Mario," which ranks first worldwide with over 1 trillion won in revenue, and "Michael," which ranks second, have only managed to draw around 1.5 million viewers in Korea.

However, starting this week, Hollywood is knocking on the door of the Korean market once again with a series of blockbusters.

The charge is led by "Disclosure Day," a film by original blockbuster director Steven Spielberg.

The master director, who has shown interest in extraterrestrial civilizations since "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "E.T.," poses chilling questions amidst a chase between those trying to hide the existence of aliens and those attempting to expose them.

[Steven Spielberg / Director: "I believe much more now than when I made 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1982) that we are not the only intelligent civilization in the universe."]

The scene where the protagonist suddenly speaks Korean due to an alien's supernatural power is also quite impressive.

[That it can be justified...]

"Toy Story," the pioneer of 100% CGI 3D animation, also returns with its fifth installment.

It has been 31 years since the first film, and the main antagonists for our toy protagonists are no longer other dolls, but tablet devices.

Through the bickering between digital devices and analog dolls, the film showcases Pixar's signature witty and heartwarming style, satirizing modern society.

In addition, "Supergirl," a live-action film featuring the DC Comics female superhero—a rival to Marvel—will be released next week for the first time in 42 years. Also, "Marty Supreme," a highly anticipated film starring global young star Timothée Chalamet, who reportedly practiced table tennis for six years to deliver a career-defining performance, is set to be released soon.

Amidst the rapid pace of Korean cinema and Hollywood's pursuit, the theater industry is wrapping up the first half of the year and heading toward the summer season, traditionally the biggest battleground for films.

(Video Editing: Ahn Yeo-jin, Design: Hwang Se-yeon, VJ: Oh Se-gwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.