UPDATE: I just noticed that KOFIC changed their numbers some time over the last couple of days. I hate that. So I have changed the numbers in the chart and throughout my post.

ORIGINAL:
Yoo Ha’s adult tale of courtly and bedroom intrigue in the Goryeo Dynasty, A FROZEN FLOWER, got off to a hot start last weekend, taking in 575,000 745,000 admissions over the weekend and 1.28 1.52 million since it was released on Dec. 30. That works out to nearly 4 over 5.1 billion won over the weekend and 8.6 10.25 billion won overall (or about $3.2 $4.2 million and $6.9 $8.2 million). That is pretty strong, especially for an adult film that young people could not get into.

SCANDAL MAKERS continues its torrid pace, earning another 2.6 3.4 billion won to bring its one-month haul to 32.4 33.5 billion won ($26 $27 million).

Following those two Korean films, you have a long list of Hollywood majors, mostly doing minor business. Except for No. 5, where Miyazaki’s PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA made another 760 971 million won, bringing its total to 8.3 8.4 billion won ($6.6 million).

This Week Title…………………………………….. Release Date Screens Nationwide Weekend Revenue (bil. won) Total Revenue (bil. won)
1. A Frozen Flower (Ssanghwajeom – Korean) 12.30 580 5.15 10.25
2. Scandal Makers (Gwasok Seukaendeul – Korean) 12.04 429 3.42 33.55
3. Bolt 12.31 343 1.59 2.84
4. Yes Man 12.18 283 1.07 6.94
5. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea 12.17 359 0.97 8.48
6. The Day the Earth Stood Still 12.24 312 0.86 9.96
7. Journey to the Center of the Earth 12.18 366 0.81 8.40
8. Twilight 12.11 109 0.17 8.56
9. Australia 12.11 113 0.14 6.30
10. Lost and Found (Dalkomhan Geojitmal – Korean) 12.18 128 0.082 3.07

(Source: KOBIS – Figures represent 98% of nationwide box office)

In a hopeful sign for the future, I’M SORRY DOKDO did pretty sorry business. Opening on 26 screens, DOKDO opened in 22nd, with just 12 million won ($10,000). So much potential for snark… But I will try to control myself. Suffice it to say, I think we just found a good metric for how strongly Koreans really feel about this fake controversy — i.e., not very much.

Now let’s never speak of this film again.