Korean Action Comedy 'Hi-Five' Tops Box Office on Opening Day

The comic action film 'Hi-Five', directed by 강형철 (Kang Hyoung-chul), has claimed the top spot at the box office on its opening day, surpassing 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning', starring Tom Cruise. According to the integrated ticketing system on May 31, 'Hi-Five' attracted 70,073 viewers on May 30, securing its position at number one. The film tells the story of ordinary citizens who gain superpowers after receiving organ transplants from a mysterious man.

Featuring a talented cast including 이재인 (Lee Jae-in), 안재홍 (Ahn Jae-hong), 유아인 (Yoo Ah-in), 라미란 (Ra Mi-ran), 김희원 (Kim Hee-won), and 신구 (Shin Gu), along with 박진영 (Park Jin-young) and 오정세 (Oh Jung-se), the film blends comedy and action seamlessly, evoking both laughter and tears.

Kang Hyoung-chul, known for his unique storytelling in films like 'Speed Scandal', 'Sunny', 'Tazza: The High Rollers', and 'Swing Kids', has infused a fresh and distinctly Korean flavor into the superhero genre. While maintaining the characteristic of a 'Korean hero' where ordinary people become heroes, the film captures relatable moments of everyday life, stirring the emotions of the audience.

The chemistry between 'Taekwondo Girl' 이재인, who becomes a superhuman after a heart transplant, and the ordinary father 오정세, who goes to great lengths for his daughter, is particularly noteworthy. The interactions among characters played by 안재홍, 김희원, and 라미란 add to the film's unique 'Korean MSG' flavor, likely prompting audiences to exclaim, 'This is what I came for!'

In second place, 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning' drew 68,695 viewers. Despite Tom Cruise's long-standing reputation for making the impossible possible over 30 years in the franchise, the excitement surrounding the 'Korean hero' film outshone it. However, the film still managed to accumulate a total of 2,170,208 viewers over the past 14 days, proving that Cruise remains a box office draw.

The true story-based film 'Soju War', starring 유해진 (Yoo Hae-jin) and 이제훈 (Lee Je-hoon), opened in third place with 46,590 viewers. Following it were Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' in fourth place (7,555 viewers), Ryan Coogler's 'Cynus: The Sinners' in fifth (4,469 viewers), and the Japanese animated film 'Theatrical Version Project Sekai: The Broken World and Miku's Unheard Song' in sixth (3,966 viewers).