'When the Phone Rings' scores new personal-best ratings
Recently-released Korean movies Harbin, Bogota: City of the Lost, and Firefighters are dominating the domestic box office.
Harbin, starring Hyun Bin, Park Jeong Min, Jeon Yeo Been, and Lee Dong Wook, among others, has surpassed 3 million moviegoers.
According to the integrated computer network of the Korean Film Council, Harbin attracted approximately 339,421 moviegoers on January 1, maintaining its top spot at the box office. The K-movie has now attracted a total of approximately 3,094,686 audience to the domestic theatres.
Set in 1909, Harbin follows Korean independence activists fighting against the Japanese for Korea's independence.
Song Joong Ki's Bogota: City of the Lost, which was released on December 31, attracted 92,921 moviegoers, ranking second at the box office. Its moviegoer count is 193,869.
Set against the backdrop of Bogotá, Colombia, Bogota: City of the Lost tells the story of a Korean immigrant Guk Hee (Song Joong Ki), who travels to Bogotá, Colombia from South Korea, the other side of the globe, with new hope of a better future in the aftermath of the IMF crisis.
Joo Won's Firefighters, also starring Kwak Do Won, Yoo Jae Myung, and Lee Joon Hyuk, among others, attracted 80,828 moviegoers, ranking fourth, with its moviegoer count reaching 3,398,147. Released on December 4, the film has been steadily gaining popularity.
Based on the real-life events of a 2001 arson case that resulted in the tragic deaths of six Firefighters, the K-movie follows Choi Cheol Woong (Joo Won) and his dedicated team as they risk their lives every day tackling fires and rescuing those in peril. When a fire breaks out in Hongje-dong, the team springs into action, sensing the gravity of the situation.
