Poster for director Ryu Seung-wan’s film ‘Hyuminteu’. Photo NEW

Director Ryu Seung-wan’s upcoming film ‘Hyuminteu’ has climbed to No. 1 in advance ticket sales.

In the tally of the Korean Film Council’s integrated box-office computer network, ‘Hyuminteu’ recorded a 30.2% reservation rate as of 10:24 a.m. on the 8th. This ranks first among all films set to open.

After the first preview screening, real audience reactions such as ‘pure catharsis experienced in the theater itself’ translated into rising pre-sales.

Screen showing the reservation rate for director Ryu Seung-wan’s film ‘Hyuminteu’. Photo Screenshot of the Korean Film Council’s integrated box-office computer network tally screen

Centered on social networking services and online communities, I watched holding my breath because of the immersion”, “A work that proves why movies should be seen in theaters”, “This is what it means for a film to be impossible to look away from”, “The actors and staff must have really had a hard time. To the point I wondered whether I should even be watching this in a warm theater”, “The level of action is different”, “The golden ratio of melodrama and action” were among the reactions shared by early audiences.

Set in Vladivostok, Russia, ‘Hyuminteu’ follows a clash among people with different objectives. By taking the top spot in reservation rankings, it signals a looming three-way showdown among Korean films over the Lunar New Year holiday with ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ and ‘Number One’.

Starring Jo In-sung, Park Jung-min, Shin Se-kyung, Park Hae-joon, and others, ‘Hyuminteu’ opens nationwide on the 11th.