'Avatar 2' hits theaters in S. Korea with strong reservation rates

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- "Avatar: The Way of Water" hit theaters in South Korea on Wednesday, making it the first country in the world to screen James Cameron's long-awaited sequel to his 2009 sci-fi blockbuster.

Local multiplexes have a jampacked screening schedule for "Avatar 2" from 8 a.m. till midnight, with tickets in some premium theaters, such as 3-D IMAX and 4-D theaters, sold out on the first day.

"Avatar 2" had scored a reservation rate of 88.8 percent and sold over 850,000 tickets as of 9 a.m., according to data by the Korea Film Council (KOFIC).

"Avatar 2" features a new mixed-species family composed of former human Jake (Sam Worthington), Na'vi Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and three children living in the underwater world of Pandora.

During his trip to Seoul last week, Cameron said the 192-minute film was shot mainly underwater by utilizing a specialized camera system to provide the best cinematic experience of 3-D visuals and immersive sound.

Local film distributors, including CJ ENM and Lotte Entertainment, are betting on the Hollywood blockbuster to boost year-end box-office sales amid a pandemic-related slump this year.

The original "Avatar" attracted 13.6 million moviegoers in South Korea in 2009 to become the most-viewed foreign movie released here. It still remains the highest-grossing film of all time with $2.9 billion in global ticket sales.

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ejkim@yna.co.kr
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