Korean Blockbuster 'The Roundup' Hits All-Time Box Office No. 2

The movie 'The Moon' is creating a box office sensation, surpassing 'Extreme Job' to rank second in all-time box office history. The gap in audience numbers with 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents', currently the number one film of all time, has narrowed to within one million viewers.

According to distributor Showbox, 'The Moon' surpassed the record of 'Extreme Job' (approximately 16.26 million viewers), which was released in 2019, by breaking the 16.28 million viewer mark on its 67th day of release, the 11th of this month. On the 12th, it recorded 16.33 million viewers, continuing its steady box office performance even after more than two months since its release. The film, which opened on February 4th, began to gain traction through word-of-mouth during the Lunar New Year holiday, attracting audiences and surpassing 10 million viewers on its 31st day of release.

Since then, 'The Moon' has sequentially surpassed the records of films such as 'Exhuma' (2024, approximately 11.91 million viewers), 'King and the Clown' (2005, approximately 12.30 million viewers), '12.12: The Day' (2023, approximately 13.12 million viewers), and 'Ode to My Father' (2014, approximately 14.25 million viewers), breaking the 16 million viewer mark on the 5th of this month. Currently, only three domestic films have mobilized over 16 million viewers: 'The Moon', 'Extreme Job', and the all-time box office leader 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' (2014, approximately 17.61 million viewers).

However, it remains uncertain whether it will break the all-time number one record, considering recent audience trends. Friday's audience numbers showed a declining trend, from approximately 98,000 on the 27th of last month to 52,000 on the 3rd of this month, and 38,000 the previous day. As of the 10th, it ranked third in the daily box office, behind 'The Plot' (approximately 111,000 viewers) and 'Project Hail Mary' (approximately 56,000 viewers). Nevertheless, in terms of revenue, it has already secured the top spot among domestic releases, with cumulative revenue reaching approximately 156.9 billion won.

Directed by Jang Hang-jun, 'The Moon' tells the story of King Danjong of Joseon spending the final period of his life in exile with the village chief and other villagers. The excellent performances by actors such as Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon, along with a story blending emotion and humor, resonated with audiences of all generations, drawing popularity. 'The Moon' is being praised for revitalizing the struggling cinema industry and creating a 'spring for theaters'.