Two Korean films leading box office

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- Two Korean films have taken up nearly 80 percent of the local box office recently, with few competitors in sight, data showed Friday.

According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), webcomic-based fantasy drama "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds" topped the local box office as of Thursday. It hit a break-even point that day, just nine days after its opening on Dec. 20, by selling more than six million tickets. The speed of its success matches that of "A Taxi Driver," which achieved 12 million in ticket sales this summer.

Closely trailing was "1987: When the Day Comes," based on a true story surrounding the death of a university student at the height of protests against the repressive military government in 1987.

Released on Wednesday, the movie has so far attracted 588,753 moviegoers, backed by rave reviews on local movie-related online bulletin boards. On Thursday, high-ranking government officials watched the movie together to emphasize the importance of grass-roots democracy and the resolve to continue upholding democratic spirits.

The two films are likely to dominate the box office for a while, as no major movie is set to open until mid-January.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)