KOR
The film 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' (hereafter referred to as 'Nirvanna the Band'), imported by Moon Sang-hoon of the comedy crew BDNS, has officially surpassed 80,000 admissions nationwide.
Despite having fewer than 50 screenings a day, the film is showing incredible staying power by recording a remarkably high seat-occupancy rate. If this trend continues, it is expected to easily cross the milestone of 100,000 admissions.
'Nirvanna the Band' was imported by the comedy crew BDNS, led by Moon Sang-hoon, in collaboration with Green Narae Media. The film has already proven its artistic merit, winning the Midnight Madness People's Choice Award at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and the Midnighters Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival. Recently, it swept six categories, including Best Picture, at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, which is widely considered Canada's equivalent to the Academy Awards.
Moon Sang-hoon personally traveled to various global film markets, including the Cannes Film Market, the American Film Market in Los Angeles, and the Hong Kong Filmart, to screen numerous films. It was during this journey that he decided to import 'Nirvanna the Band'. Known for his trendsetting sensibility on YouTube, Moon has now demonstrated his keen eye for cinema, achieving meaningful success with his very first film import project.
On his YouTube channel, Moon shared his motivation behind importing the film, saying, "I love movies, and there are many ways to express that love—like watching a film multiple times or making one myself. I thought, if making a movie is too difficult, why not try importing one? That's how it all started."
The box office performance of 'Nirvanna the Band' in South Korea currently ranks first among all regions outside of North America. In response, the film's director and actor Matt Johnson, along with actor and music director Jay McCarrol, sent a special thank-you video dedicated to Korean audiences.
In the released video, Matt and Jay look directly at the camera and ask, "Korean audiences, why do you like this movie?" They also expressed their love for Korea in their signature witty style, shouting "Korea, fighting!" and mentioning that they loved Korea even before BTS debuted. The video has received an enthusiastic response, surpassing 250,000 views and garnering over 10,000 likes on their official Instagram alone.
ebada@sbs.co.kr
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.