Starring Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in, 'The Match' will be available on Netflix starting May 8th.
Netflix Korea announced last month that the film 'The Match' will be streamed simultaneously in over 190 countries worldwide starting May 8th.
'The Match' tells the story of Cho Hun-hyun, the first national champion and a national hero at the world's top Go tournament, as he takes on the prodigy Lee Chang-ho as his disciple. The film has received rave reviews from domestic audiences, thanks to the outstanding performances of Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in, and the delicate direction of Director Kim Hyung-joo.
Despite a platform shift from Netflix to theaters due to drug-related issues with lead actor Yoo Ah-in, the film was a box office success, attracting 2.13 million viewers.
Having broken even in theaters, 'The Match' will now be available on Netflix in less than two months, a move that has sparked various opinions in the film industry. However, this shortened holdback period means the film can quickly transition its theatrical popularity to a global OTT audience.
Given that Go, the subject of the movie, is a popular sport in Asia, significant positive response is anticipated in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Moreover, with Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in, who have previously starred in Netflix hits, securing high recognition in the US and Europe, the film is expected to demonstrate strong competitiveness in Western markets as well.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)