Can 'Wild Sing' Challenge 'COLONY'? Ticket Reservation Rates Close the Gap

The movie 'Wild Sing,' starring Gang Dongwon, Um Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun, is closing the gap with its competitor 'COLONY' with just one week left before its release.

According to the Korean Film Council's reservation rates on May 27, 'Wild Sing' is chasing the current box office leader 'COLONY' (38.4% reservation rate, 165,000 tickets) with an 11.1% reservation rate and 47,000 tickets sold.

There is a threefold difference in both reservation rates and ticket sales. At this rate, it seems unlikely that 'Wild Sing' will surpass 'COLONY' on its opening day. However, by the time 'Wild Sing' premieres, 'COLONY' will be entering its third week of release, which could signal the start of a downward trend. Indeed, while 'COLONY' is currently a box office hit, surpassing 2 million viewers nationwide in just five days, audience reviews have been mixed.

'Wild Sing' held its press and distribution screening three weeks before its release, which is highly unusual for recent films. This move hinted at strong confidence in the movie and a plan to sustain a long-term promotional campaign. However, because 'COLONY' was released in the interim and dominated the spotlight, questions have been raised regarding the film's momentum.

'Wild Sing' is a comedy film that fully embraces a Y2K aesthetic. It delivers delightful laughter to audiences through a character-driven comedy that highlights the actors' charms, combined with a wholesome message. This is a completely different direction from 'COLONY,' which boasts a massive scale and spectacular visuals.

The two films will go head-to-head in theaters on June 3. Although it is a David versus Goliath battle, the ultimate winner remains to be seen. The break-even point for 'COLONY,' which had a production budget of 17 billion KRW, is 3 million viewers (a figure significantly lowered thanks to overseas pre-sales), while the break-even point for 'Wild Sing,' produced with a budget of 8 billion KRW, is 2 million viewers.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)