True to expectations, Song Hye Kyo's Dark Nuns has claimed the top spot in Korea's Lunar New Year box office battle, surpassing 600,000 viewers just three days after its release.
As of 7 a.m. on January 27, the film had attracted 588,499 viewers from January 24–26, bringing its cumulative total to 606,156. This impressive start solidifies Dark Nuns as the weekend box office leader.
Directed by Jang Jae Hyun, Dark Nuns is the sequel to the 2015 hit The Priests and marks Song Hye Kyo’s return to cinema after a decade-long hiatus since My Brilliant Life (2014). The horror-mystery film follows a group performing a forbidden ritual to save a boy possessed by a powerful evil spirit. Song Hye Kyo stars as Sister Eunia, a brave yet distant nun who risks everything to save the victim.
This film is considered a pivotal comeback for Song Hye Kyo, who has struggled with box office success in the past and was even labeled "box office poison." Her previous film, My Brilliant Life, garnered only 1.62 million views. However, her transformation in the hit drama The Glory (2022–2023) seems to have boosted audience confidence in her abilities.
Even before its official release, Dark Nuns led pre-sales with over 91,000 tickets booked as of January 19. On its opening day, the film attracted more than 160,000 viewers, instantly claiming the number one spot. It continued to dominate in the following days, outperforming Hitman 2, which was released two days earlier.
Hitman 2, an action-comedy starring Kwon Sang Woo, secured second place with 425,195 viewers over the same three-day period and a cumulative total of 604,884. The sequel continues the story of a former spy turned comic artist, navigating chaos when reality mirrors his comic plot.
Meanwhile, Hyun Bin's Harbin, which previously topped the box office, ranked third with 72,827 weekend viewers and a cumulative total of 4.64 million. Entering its fifth weekend, Harbin faces stiff competition from these new releases but remains a notable contender.
Korean media anticipates that Dark Nuns will maintain its strong performance and emerge victorious in the Lunar New Year box office race.
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