Korean 'Chef' bests 'Beowulf'
Heo adaptation has earned $14 million
|
More Articles:
Most Viewed:
Fall Out Boy still standing(5438 views)Super Bowl ad surprise(1781 views)Valentine's Day(1768 views)Super Bowl breaks ratings record(1715 views)'Dear John' tackles 'Avatar' at box office(1341 views)Michael Chiklis is 'Family'(1098 views) |
Produced by Show East, "Chef" has sold 2 million tickets in 19 days for a $14 million cume. Poorly reviewed pic has nonetheless fallen somewhat short of expectations given the hype surrounding the popular comic by Heo Young-man that serves as the film's source material.
Previous Heo adaptation to hit screens, Choi Dong-hoon's "Tazza," took more than $45 million last fall.
"Beowulf" sold half a million tickets for a $3.7 million opening at No. 2, beating out well-reviewed local thriller "Seven Days," which took $2.5 million. Latter stars Kim Yun-jin of ABC's "Lost" and was picked up for remake rights by Summit Entertainment.
At No. 4, Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" dropped a miniscule 3% in its second weekend, bringing its total to $4.6 million. Film is playing especially well with thirtysomething women.
Other new Korean releases failed to generate much traction, including the ambitious 1980s-set pic "Scout," which took $1.2 million to place at No. 5. Film by Kim Hyun-seok ("When Romance Meets Destiny") centers around a famous baseball pitcher and the viciously suppressed democratic uprising that formed the basis of box office hit "May 18."
Meanwhile, local comedy "Going by the Book" has taken $14.8 million in five weeks, and Irish indie sensation "Once" is holding on at No. 10 with a $1.1 million gross after two months in limited release.
