#jang ji yong avatars

[horyia]

Jang Ki Yong (avatars 400x640)

[bodashiri]

2017 Korean Box Office

2017 Korean Box Office Top 20 (Admissions)  

January 16, 2018  Finally Updated

Along with the Gods : The Two Worlds 신과 함께 : 죄와 벌 (Lotte) / 12,944,298

A Taxi Driver 택시운전사 (Show Box) / 12,186,327

Confidential Assignment 공조 (CJ E&M) / 7,817,631

Spider-Man : Homecoming 스파이더맨: 홈 커밍 (Marvel/Sony) / 7,258,678

The Outlaws 범죄도시 (Megabox) / 6,879,844

The Battleship Island 군함도 (CJ E&M) / 6,592,151

1987 (CJ E&M) / 5,916,097

Midnight Runners 청년경찰 (Lotte) / 5,653,270

The King 더 킹 (NEW) / 5,317,383

Beauty and the Beast 미녀와 야수 (Disney) / 5,138,330

Kingsman: The Golden Circle 킹스맨 : 골든 서클 (Fox) / 4,945,484

Thor: Ragnarok 토르: 라그나로크 (Marvel/Disney) / 4,853,935

Steel Rain 강철비 (NEW) / 4,441,052

The Swindlers 꾼 (Show Box) / 4,018,341

The Fortress 남한산성 (CJ E&M) / 3,849,087

Your Name 너의 이름은 君の名は。 (Japan/Megabox) / 3,710,818

The Mummy 미이라 (Universal) / 3,689,325

The Fast and The Furious 8 분노의 질주 : 더 익스트림 (Universal) / 3,653,238

Despicable Me 3 슈퍼배드 3 (Universal) / 3,324,874

I Can Speak 아이 캔 스피크 (Lotte) / 3,279,296

The following list is the result of Korean film critics' poll.

source : Cine21 articles

Top 10 Korean Movies released in 2017

On the Beach at Night Alone 밤의 해변에서 혼자 Dir. Hong Sang-Soo 홍상수

The Fortress 남한산성 Dir. Hwang Dong-Hyuk 황동혁

The Merciless 불한당 : 나쁜 놈들의 세상 Dir. Byun Sung-Hyun 변성현

Jane 꿈의 제인 Dir. Cho Hyun-Hoon 조현훈 

I Can Speak 아이 캔 스피크 Dir. Kim Hyeon-Seok 김현석

Bamseom Pirates Seoul Inferno 밤섬해적단 서울불바다 Dir. Jung Yoonseok 정윤석

The Day After 그 후 Dir. Hong Sang-Soo 홍상수

The King 더 킹 Dir. Han Jae-Rim 한재림

Anarchist from Colony 박열 Dir. Lee Joon-Ik 이준익

Our President 노무현입니다 Dir. Lee Chang-Jae 이창재

Best Director

Hong Sang-Soo 홍상수 (On the Beach at Night Alone 밤의 해변에서 혼자, The Day After 그후)

Kim Hyeon-Seok 김현석 (I Can Speak 아이 캔 스피크)

Best Actor Seol Kyung-Gu 설경구 (The Merciless 불한당, Memoir of a Murderer 살인자의 기억법)

Best Actress Na Moon-Hee 나문희 (I Can Speak 아이 캔 스피크)

Best New Director Cho Hyun-Hoon 조현훈 (Jane 꿈의 제인)

Best New Actor Lee Ka-Seob 이가섭 (The Seeds of Violence 폭력의 씨앗)

Best New Actress Choi Hee-Seo 최희서 (Anarchist from Colony 박열)

Best Cinematographer Kim Ji-Yong 김지용 (The Fortress 남한산성)

Best Scenario Writer Hwang Dong-Heuk 황동혁 (The Fortress 남한산성)

Best Producer Kim Hong-Baek 김홍백 (The Outlaws 범죄도시)

The Most Overrated Movie A Taxy Driver 택시운전사 Dir. Jang Hoon 장훈

The Most Underrated Movie Heart Blackened 침묵 Dir. Jung Ji-Woo 정지우

Top 10 Foreign Movies released in 2017

Dunkirk (2017)  Dir. Christopher Nolan

Elle (2016) Dir. Paul Verhoeven

Toni Edmann (2016) Dir. Maren Ade

Moonlight (2016) Dir. Barry Jenkins

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Dir. Denis Villeneuve 

Logan (2017) Dir. James Mangold  

Manchester by the Sea (2016) Dir. Kenneth Lonergan 

Arrival (2016) Dir. Denis Villeneuve   

The Unknown Girl (2016) Dir. Dardenne Brothers

Okja 옥자 (2017) Dir. Bong Joon-Ho

All Time Korean Box Office Top 15 (Admissions)

Roaring Currents 명량 (2014) CJ E&M / 17,615,152

Ode to My Father 국제시장 (2014) CJ E&M / 14,262,498

Veteran 베테랑 (2015) CJ E&M / 13,414,200

Avatar 아바타 (2009) 20th century Fox / 13,302,637

The Host 괴물 (2006) Show Box / 13,019,740

The Thieves 도둑들 (2012) Show Box / 12,983,841

Along with the Gods : The Two Worlds 신과 함께 : 죄와 벌 (2017) Lotte / 12,944,298

Miracle in Cell No.7  7번방의 선물 (2013) NEW / 12,811,435

Assassination 암살 (2015) Show Box / 12,706,483

Masquerade 광해, 왕이 된 남자 (2012) CJ E&M / 12,323,595

King and the Clown 왕의 남자 (2005) Cinema Service / 12,302,831

A Taxi Driver 택시운전사 (2017)  Show Box / 12,186,327

TaeGukGi: Brotherhood Of War 태극기 휘날리며 (2004) Show Box / 11,746,135

Train to Busan 부산행 (2016) NEW / 11,566,862

The Attorney 변호인 (2013) NEW / 11,374,879

My 2 cents

As you know, my favorie Korean movie of this year is The Merciless 불한당 : 나쁜 놈들의 세상. The Cine21 critics praised this movie for putting an end to the long-time deceptive (somewhat homophobic?) concept called "bromance" and declaring itself openly as "a romance between the two men". I agree with them. That's why I love this movie.

I also agree that A taxi driver 택시운전사 is the most overrated. This movie's box office success was an unhappy by-product of the current government supporters' crazy demagogy. I agree Gwangju Democratization Movement described in this movie is very very important historical turning point, but the overall quality of this movie sucks. Actor Song Gang-Ho failed to show something new and remained the same as in the Attorney 변호인 (2013).

I'm pleased Actor Kang Ha-Neul 강하늘 left a box office success (Midnight Runners 청년경찰) before entering the army. All of his 3 movies (The New Trial 재심, Midnight Runners 청년경찰, Forgotten 기억의 밤) reached the break-even point this year. I can't wait for his return.

The most popular foreign movies in Korea are Marvel superhero movies like Spider-Man : Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok. Marvel’s only failure is Guardians of the Galaxy. It is unpopular not only because its English wordplay humors can't be adequately translated into Korean language, but also because many Korean audiences can't understand its 1980s American pop culture references.

My favorite is Thor : Ragnarok directed by Taika Waititi. I loved his natural humor so much that I even watched the director's previous indie movies like Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) and What We Do in the Shadows (2014). Now, he is one of my favorite directors in the world.

Star Wars franchise always flops only in South Korean market. I heard that's because arrogant 20th century Fox asked for too much money about 40 years ago, so Korean importers boycotted the release of Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back at that time. As a result, there exit only a few star wars fans here in South Korea. Unfortunately its prequels and sequels failed to generate many new fans. Of course, there exist a few star wars fans with loud voice but the majority of the general public don't care about Star wars at all.

Finally, Netflix original movie Okja 옥자 directed by Bong Joon-Ho  봉준호 should be mentioned. I thought it's a kind of live action version of Miyazaki Hayao animation and loved the goofy ALF members. Hope Netflix would make a spin-off of the ALF.