Korean Cinema Faces Genre Showdown This Lunar New Year

This Lunar New Year, Korean cinemas are set for a thrilling competition among three genres: occult, comedy, and romance. The leading films feature prominent actors who are taking bold steps in their careers to attract audiences during the extended holiday period, which could last up to six days.

The most anticipated film is 'The Black Nun' (검은 수녀들), currently holding the top spot in pre-sales with a rate of 16.2% (36,446 tickets sold as of January 14, 10 PM). This marks Song Hye-kyo's return to the big screen after a decade since 'My Brilliant Life' (두근두근 내 인생) in 2014. While she has enjoyed immense popularity through dramas like 'Descendants of the Sun' (태양의 후예) and the Netflix series 'The Glory' (더 글로리), she has yet to establish herself as a box office draw in films. Her previous leading roles, such as in 'Hwang Jin Yi' (황진이) and 'My Brilliant Life,' attracted only 1.19 million and 1.62 million viewers, respectively. The success of 'The Black Nun' could be a pivotal moment in Song's 30-year acting career.

Although 'The Black Nun' is a sequel to the acclaimed 'The Priests' (검은 사제들) directed by Jang Jae-hyun, it is helmed by director Kwon Hyuk-jae, who previously worked as an assistant director on films like 'Arahan' and 'The Unjust.' This film represents both Kwon and Song's first foray into the occult genre. The original 'The Priests' combined Catholicism with exorcism themes and featured Park So-dam as a possessed high school girl, achieving a solid 5.44 million admissions. In 'The Black Nun,' the narrative shifts focus from a priest to a nun performing the exorcism. Kim Min-ji, the marketing team leader at distributor NEW, stated, "The film is a character-driven drama about overcoming limits to save a child, which will draw viewers in."

In the comedy category, two films are making their debut. The first is 'Hitman 2' (히트맨2), starring Kwon Sang-woo and directed by Choi Won-seop. This sequel follows the surprise success of the original 'Hitman,' which attracted 2.4 million viewers during the pandemic in 2020. Kwon reprises his role as a National Intelligence Service agent aspiring to be a webtoon artist. In this installment, he faces a downfall as a terrorist mimics his webtoon, leading to chaotic events. The film's reception will depend on how fresh audiences find the familiar plot and the returning cast and crew. The distributor, Baepoem Studio, which successfully promoted the film 'Firefighters' (소방관), is also under scrutiny for its marketing strategy.

Additionally, 'Ghost Police' (귀신경찰), the late Kim Soo-mi's final film, features a reunion between Kim and Shin Hyun-joon, who previously starred together in the 'Family Honor' series. In this film, Shin plays a police officer who gains superpowers after being struck by lightning, while Kim portrays his foul-mouthed mother.

Lastly, the fantasy romance 'Secret' (말할 수 없는 비밀) is a Korean adaptation of the Taiwanese film of the same name (2008). This marks Do Kyung-soo's first romantic film, transitioning from his idol roots to acting in films like 'The Moon' (더 문). The Korean version enhances character development compared to the original and features familiar songs like 'Every Day with You' by Deulgukhwa to evoke a warm emotional response. The production company, Hive Media Corp, aims to create a brighter and warmer film than its Taiwanese counterpart. 'Secret' currently ranks second in pre-sales with 14.6% (32,954 tickets sold as of January 14, 10 PM).