Six Korean films to vie for box office supremacy in September

South Korea's film industry is bracing for an unusually crowded September, with six to seven domestic films slated for release. This influx follows a summer season that saw a mere single South Korean film premiere, a stark contrast to typical blockbuster periods and even the pandemic era.

The scarcity of local releases during the summer is attributed to the overwhelming presence of Hollywood productions like "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," which together drew approximately 18 million viewers. Faced with this competition, distributors opted to postpone their releases, effectively yielding the summer box office to international films.

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It was unusual for there to be only one Korean film in the summer, and it's also the first time we're seeing seven Korean films competing in September and during the Chuseok holiday.

September, however, presents a different landscape. With the major Hollywood films losing momentum and no other significant international releases scheduled, distributors are targeting this window, further enhanced by the late-month Chuseok holiday. The lineup includes "The Squall" (Bi-gwang) on September 2, starring Ryu Seung-ryong and Ha Ji-won; "The Intern" (In-teon) on September 16, a remake featuring Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee; and "Assassins" (Am-sal-ja-deul) and "Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub" (Tazza: Beljebub-ui Norae) both releasing on September 23.

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It's unfortunate, but not all of 'The Intern,' 'Assassins,' 'Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub,' and 'The Risen Man: The Red' can achieve moderate success. Given recent audience trends, it's possible that three of these films, excluding one or two, could all fail at the box office.

Adding to the intense competition, acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong's new film "Possible Love" (Ga-neung-han Sarang) is also set for a September 23 release. Following "The Squall" and "The Intern," "Assassins" and "Tazza 4" are considered crucial for their respective distributors. "Assassins" tackles the assassination of Park Chung-hee's wife, while "Tazza 4" is the latest installment in a popular franchise. The competition intensifies further with the release of "The Risen Man: The Red" (Bu-hwal-nam: Deo Red) on September 30.

The star power in these September releases is considerable, featuring top actors like Yoo Hae-jin, known for multiple blockbuster hits since the pandemic, Byun Yo-han in "Tazza 4," and Gu Kyo-hwan in "The Risen Man." "Possible Love," despite potentially being a smaller draw in terms of sheer audience numbers, garners significant attention due to Lee Chang-dong's directorial reputation and its selection for the Venice Film Festival competition. Industry insiders anticipate that not all of these films can achieve moderate success, with a possibility that only one or two might truly resonate with audiences.

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We avoided 'Hope,' 'Spider-Man,' and 'Oppenheimer,' but September awaits us with a similarly challenging landscape. Since there isn't a single film that uniquely captures the audience's attention, promotional and marketing strategies to generate word-of-mouth will be crucial.