The South Korean box office, recently dominated by Japanese animation, is now the stage for a compelling showdown. The new domestic comedy ‘First Ride’ is mounting a significant challenge, going head-to-head with the Japanese live-action thriller, ‘The 8th Exit’. With audiences caught between laughter and suspense, the competition is heating up.
The Homegrown Contender
‘First Ride’ chronicles the chaos that unfolds when a group of friends, who have known each other for 24 years, embark on their first-ever overseas holiday together. The film aims to fill cinemas with laughter and offers audiences a chance to see star Cha Eun-woo, who is currently completing his mandatory military service. Co-star Kang Ha-neul joked about his colleague’s striking visuals, saying, “I can’t recall Eun-woo’s face clearly; it was just too bright.”
The film has already shown strong commercial promise, topping pre-release booking charts. Director Nam Dae-joong noted the film carries a heartfelt message, urging viewers “not to postpone joy, but to enjoy the present with their cherished family, friends, and partners.”
The Surprise Japanese Hit
Following the recent success of Japanese anime, ‘The 8th Exit’ marks a significant breakthrough for Japanese live-action cinema. Based on a popular video game, the film follows a man trapped in a perpetually looping underground passage. He must find ‘The 8th Exit’ by identifying subtle anomalies in the repeating environment to escape. The film successfully transfers the intense, suffocating tension of a horror game onto the big screen, delivering a pulse-pounding experience for the audience.
‘The 8th Exit’ Gains Momentum
‘The 8th Exit’ is defying the long-held belief that Japanese live-action films struggle to find success in Korea. The movie has secured a high position in the box office charts and, buoyed by strong critical praise, has now surpassed 200,000 admissions.
To celebrate its success and encourage repeat viewings, a new special poster has been released. This poster, which captures the film’s lingering atmosphere, depicts the protagonist (played by Ninomiya Kazunari) in a sunlit space, seemingly interacting with a young boy (Asanuma Naru). This new visual offers a stark contrast to the intense main poster, sparking audience curiosity about the characters’ relationship and its significance to the plot.
A Boost for Cinemas
As these two starkly different films—one offering delightful comedy, the other heart-stopping suspense—compete for the public’s attention, their success is poised to bring a welcome sense of energy and variety to the Korean cinema landscape.