Korea Box Office Stages Tentative Recovery as Cinema Restrictions Ease
variety.comPatrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” topped the box office in South Korea over the May Day weekend, beating a handful of minor local titles which released in hope of catching a rising market.The latest Friday-Sunday period appeared to represent a turning point – a $4.86 million nationwide aggregate was the biggest weekend haul since January – but a slow and uncertain one.
Theatrical box office in Korea has been severely depressed all year due to government-imposed COVID restrictions, audience caution and a paucity of new release local titles.
Restrictions in cinemas are now being removed and locally-produced films are dusting off their release plans. But to remains to be seen how much long-term structural damage has been done to the film industry in Korea.
Over its third weekend of release, “The Secrets of Dumbledore” earned $1.55 million, down only 5% on its previous weekend session.
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