With an extended Chuseok holiday week running from October 3 to 9, moviegoers will have plenty of time to enjoy a diverse lineup of films hitting Korean theaters. This year's holiday season promises an exciting mix of genres, from dark comedies and gangster spoofs to touching animated features, offering something for every type of movie enthusiast.
The box office competition is intensifying with several highly anticipated domestic releases leading the charge. Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice," the gangster comedy "Boss," and Yeon Sang-ho's low-budget thriller "The Ugly" are among the Korean films vying for audiences' attention. International offerings include the Hollywood remake "The Wedding Banquet" and animated features like "Bad Girl: Run Hani," "Your Letter," and "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc."
Director Park Chan-wook, known for "Oldboy," returns with "No Other Choice," a black comedy that premiered on Wednesday. The film stars Lee Byung-hun as a man fighting desperately to regain control of his life after being suddenly laid off from his job. The movie has already received critical acclaim at prestigious film festivals including Venice, Toronto, and Busan. Despite its dark subject matter, critics note that this latest work is more accessible to general audiences compared to Park's previous films.
Scheduled for release on October 3, the comic action film "Boss" aims to capture a broader audience with its humorous take on the classic gangster genre. The story follows rival gang members who hilariously attempt to pass the boss position to each other, as each prefers pursuing their own personal passions over leading the organization. The film boasts an impressive cast of well-known actors including Jo Woo-jin, Jung Kyung-ho, Park Ji-hwan, and Lee Kyu-hyung.
Director Yeon Sang-ho's "The Ugly" has already topped the box office and is expected to draw even larger crowds during the holiday period. Created with a modest production budget of approximately 200 million won ($143,000), the film tells the compelling story of Lim Dong-hwan, played by Park Jeong-min, who is the son of a renowned visually impaired stamp carver. The plot unfolds when Dong-hwan discovers the skeletal remains of his mother, Jung Yeong-hee (Shin Hyun-bin), who vanished four decades earlier. This shocking discovery leads him down a path of uncovering long-buried family secrets. The cast also features Kwon Hae-hyo as the older version of Yeong-gyu. Critics have praised the film for its thought-provoking storyline and outstanding performances from the entire cast.
Adding international flavor to the holiday lineup is "The Wedding Banquet," an American comedy that serves as a remake of director Ang Lee's acclaimed 1993 film of the same name. Directed by Korean American filmmaker Andrew Ahn, this updated version features Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung as a grandmother who uncovers her gay grandson's plans for a fake marriage. The combination of the film's humorous storyline and Youn's highly anticipated performance has generated significant buzz among Korean audiences.
Animated features are also competing for holiday box office success, with "Bad Girl: Run Hani" serving as a 40th anniversary tribute to Lee Jin-joo's beloved "Run Hani" comic book series. The film presents a fresh storyline centered around an intense street racing competition between the legendary runner Hani and her formidable rival, Aeri. Meanwhile, the Japanese animated film "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc," which was released on Wednesday, is expected to join the competitive Chuseok holiday race. Industry observers are watching closely to see if it can achieve box office success similar to the phenomenally popular "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Infinity Castle."
