Korean film 'The Assassin' dethrones 'Odyssey' in advance ticket sales

A Korean film has reclaimed the top spot in advance ticket sales, breaking through a prolonged run by Hollywood blockbusters. "The Assassin," starring Park Hae-il, Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Min-ho, is set to open over the Chuseok holiday.

According to the integrated ticketing network, "The Assassin" ranked first in weekend advance ticket sales as of Sunday — ending a 64-day stretch in which Hollywood titles had dominated the chart, most recently "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and director Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey."

The reclaimed top spot carries added weight given the fierce competition from other Korean films arriving ahead of Chuseok. This year's holiday season features a four-way contest: "The Intern," starring Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee, which opened Wednesday; "Tazza: Song of Beelzebub," billed as the finale of the 20-year franchise; "Possible Love," the latest from director Lee Chang-dong, which won the Silver Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival; and "The Assassin."

"The Assassin" is a mystery thriller tracing the allegations and forces behind the shooting of South Korea's first lady on Aug. 18, 1974 — an incident that shocked the nation. Park Hae-il returns to the screen for the first time in four years as Jae-hwan, a senior society desk editor, while Yoo Hae-jin plays police officer Cheol-gu and Lee Min-ho takes the role of Yeong-il, a society reporter and Jae-hwan's junior colleague.

The film is the latest work from director Heo Jin-ho, known for sensitively capturing the emotions of different eras in films including "Christmas in August" (1998), "One Fine Spring Day" (2001), "The Last Princess" (2016) and "Astronomy: Question the Sky" (2019). It opens in theaters nationwide Wednesday.

At a production press conference held last month, Park said the film "is not just for those who remember the historical event — it also introduces a major moment in modern Korean history to younger audiences who may not know it." He added that "the pacing is very fast and there is real drama among the characters, so it is a film that people of all ages can enjoy."