'12.12: The Day' lifts November ticket sales in cinemas overall: KOFIC

(Yonhap)

The continued success of modern historical drama flick “12.12: The Day” has led to improved November ticket sales at local theaters overall, according to the Korean Film Council.

According to KOFIC data, November ticket sales at local theaters reached 70.2 percent of pre-pandemic levels at 41.1 billion won – up by 22.5 percent on-year.

The average number of November ticket sales at cinemas from 2017 to 2019 stands at 58.6 billion won.

The KOFIC said “12.12: The Day” has contributed to some 4.32 million moviegoers here, approximately a 24 percent increase compared to October. The number is around 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Since the film’s release in local theaters on Nov. 22, “12.12: The Day” has quickly attracted moviegoers, topping local box offices since then.

With a budget of around 23 billion won, “12.12: The Day” was the highest-budget film among the four Korean films that opened in November.

It reached its break-even point of 4.6 million ticket sales early last week and topped seven million ticket sales earlier this week.

Industry insiders predict that “12.12: The Day” may become the second Korean film to reach 10 million in ticket sales this year, following “The Roundup: No Way Out,” which recorded 10 million tickets sold 32 days after the film’s opening.

Experts said that the film's popularity reflects young moviegoers’ interest in South Korea’s recent history.

The film covers nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979 during a military coup in Seoul. Although the film is based on real historical events, the names of the characters have been altered to incorporate fictional elements.

By Kim Da-sol(ddd@heraldcorp.com)