Korean comedy 'Hi-Five' hits million-ticket milestone
Superhero farce becomes fifth domestic film to reach benchmark this year, though critical reception remains divided
Korean comedy "Hi-Five" crossed one million admissions on Saturday, marking a milestone for local cinema amid generally favorable but mixed audience reactions.
According to the Korean Film Council's latest box office data, the superhero comedy reached 1,040,358 total admissions as of Saturday evening, hitting the benchmark nine days after its May 30 release. The film ranked second in daily ticket sales with 134,333 admissions, trailing only the Hollywood live-action remake "How to Train Your Dragon," which pulled in 165,319 tickets for the day, following its June 6 debut.
"Hi-Five" maintained its momentum on Sunday, adding another 110,149 admissions to bring its running total to approximately 1.15 million.
The latest effort by director Kang Hyung-cheol ("Scandal Makers," "Sunny") joins four other Korean films that have surpassed the million-ticket mark so far this year. "Yadang: The Snitch" leads the pack with 3,375,154 admissions, followed by "Hitman 2" (2,547,598), "The Match" (2,145,532), and "Dark Nuns" (1,670,559).
Despite reaching the milestone, "Hi-Five" still falls short of the reported 2.9 million ticket sales needed to recoup its 15 billion won ($11 million) production budget.
The film follows five individuals who gain supernatural abilities after each receives an organ transplant from a mysterious donor. When a shadowy cult seeks to steal their powers, the unlikely heroes must join forces to fight back.
Lee Jae-in anchors the ensemble as a super-strong teenager, supported by Ahn Jae-hong's character who wields hurricane-force breath, Ra Mi-ran as a yogurt seller harboring secret abilities, Kim Hee-won as a factory worker blessed with healing powers, and Yoo Ah-in as a hipster wannabe capable of manipulating electronics.
Though overall reception has been generally positive, opinions remain notably split. On local search engine Naver, viewers awarded the film a generous 8.30 out of 10 rating, while users on the film review site Watchapedia gave it a more modest 3.2 out of 5.
'Hi-Five' began its international rollout with a June 6 premiere in Cambodia. It heads to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei on June 12, followed by releases in Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan and East Timor on June 13. Audiences in Hong Kong and Macao can catch the film starting June 19.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
33 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
Doyoung soars with wider musical spectrum
With NCT and as solo vocalist, Doyoung promises broader future Many say that a person should think of what they love and do best and turn it into a career. In that sense, NCT's Doyoung was born to be a singer. Singing brings him the most joy and confidence, and now he returns not just as a member of an idol group that electrifies tens of thousands of fans, but as a solo vocalist carving out his own musical path with a second full-length album. 'I'm incredibly grateful to be releasing a second album. It captures the stories I wanted to tell, and I had the chance to work with people I've long hoped to collaborate with. Just like the main theme of the album — 'the power to dream,' it gave me the strength to keep dreaming,' Doyoung said during a group interview held Thursday in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Following his first LP "Youth" in 2024, which explored a range of emotions and experiences of young people, Doyoung shared that he aimed to embrace an even broader theme with his new release. 'At first, I was inspired by the image of wings. After settling on the title 'Soar,' I envisioned creating an album that inspires people to dream through imagery of transcending and rising above,' he explained. The album's notable lineup of contributors — icons in the history of Korean bands — underscores just how meaningful "Soar" is to Doyoung. 'Kim Yuna of Jaurim, Kim Jong-wan of Nell and Yoon Do-hyun of YB — all of them have been central figures in Korea's band music scene. I had long hoped to work with them and have been knocking on doors, sending proposals and this time it finally came together. Each of them has such a distinct musical identity, recognized by the Korean public, and they taught me so much throughout the production of this album.' From Kim Yuna, he learned the importance of how a vocalist interprets a song. Kim Jong-wan of Nell gave him detailed guidance on vocal technique. And Yoon Do-hyun, who gifted him the deeply meaningful track 'Still' — written during Yoon's own battle with cancer — left Doyoung with a strong impression of human warmth. The album's lead track, 'Memory,' tells a story Doyoung had long wanted to express. 'If memories had a life of their own, I think becoming a cherished 'recollection' would be their most beautiful conclusion. That's the kind of story the song tells.' Doyoung emphasized how vital his fans and the public are to his musical journey. 'Even as a child, I didn't want to be a singer just because I liked singing alone. I loved singing in front of people. This doesn't mean that I only want to sing songs that are bound to be commercial hits, but I do sing with the hope of being loved by many listeners. I need people who love my music.' Now 29 years old, Doyoung is aware that a hiatus due to his compulsory military service is inevitable, though the timing has yet to be decided. He expressed hope that fans will think of him during that time through his album. 'I wanted this album to be like showing someone my diary — something personal that you only share with those dearest to you. I hope it becomes an album that lets people remember me.' As for the upcoming hiatus, the singer confidently said he has no worries. 'Even if I take a break for a while, I'm confident I'll be singing for a very, very long time. I want to tell my fans — please don't be sad.'
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Delve into Hangeul's beauty through crafts
National Hangeul Museum to offer hands-on program in Japan The National Hangeul Museum is launching a new educational program dubbed "Atelier Hangeul" in Japan in June as part of a cultural exchange marking the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations. The hands-on educational program will familiarize participants Korean writing system while making unique leather craft items using Hangeul letters and traditional Korean patterns. Ten sessions will be held from Tuesday to Saturday at the Korean Cultural Centers in Tokyo and Osaka. More details about the registration are available on the cultural centers' websites. "Hangeul is not just a way to write words or share information, but it can also be seen as a form of art and culture, and it helps connect people with each other. We hope that Japanese people will be able to discover the modern value and beauty of Hangeul through this program," Kang Jeong-won, head of the National Hangeul Museum, said in a press release.
Korea Herald
4 hours ago
- Korea Herald
'Maybe Happy Ending' triumphs with 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical
Broadway hit adapted from a Korean musical caps winning streak at Tonys This year's Tony Awards marked a milestone for the tender and ingenious musical "Maybe Happy Ending," a heartwarming South Korean robot romance that began its Broadway life at the Belasco Theatre in November 2024. Despite being a newcomer, the production emerged as one of the evening's most celebrated winners, taking home six awards, including best musical, best book of a musical and best original score for longtime collaborators playwright and lyricist Park Chun-hue — also known as Hue Park — and composer Will Aronson. The musical gained momentum by winning best book and best original score during the pre-show ceremony, then added best scenic design of a musical once the broadcast began. Director Michael Arden claimed best direction of a musical, further solidifying the show's creative achievement. Darren Criss, who plays Oliver, also won best leading actor in a musical, completing a triumphant night for the production. Set in a near-future Seoul, 'Maybe Happy Ending' follows the story of Oliver and Claire — two outdated HelperBot androids discarded by their human owners — who find each other and form a bond neither expected. Starring Darren Criss as Oliver and Broadway newcomer Helen J. Shen as Claire, the show blends science fiction with poignant emotional realism, bringing to life themes of connection, obsolescence and hope. "The musical's win marks the first successful transition of a small-scale Korean production from Seoul's Daehangno theater district to a major Broadway stage, earning recognition for both its artistic excellence and commercial viability. It also stands as a historic milestone, as it is the first time a Korean creator has won Tony Awards in the musical categories for best book and best score," Choi Seung-youn, a South Korean musical critic and professor, told The Korea Herald on Monday. The sweep by "Maybe Happy Ending" came as little surprise, as the season had already been a remarkable winning streak for the musical, originally written in Korean by playwright and lyricist Park Chun-hue -- also known as Hue Park -- with music by longtime collaborator Will Aronson. The duo, known for their bilingual productions, saw their work earn six honors at the 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards, including outstanding musical. The show was also named best musical by the 89th New York Drama Critics' Circle and secured two major awards at the 91st Annual Drama League Awards: outstanding production of a musical and outstanding direction of a musical. Formula for success Experts say the success of "Maybe Happy Ending" is largely driven by its powerful universal themes. Speaking last week at a conference at K-Musical Market, an annual showcase of Korean musicals, Sean Patrick Flahaven, chief theatricals executive of Concord Theatricals, remarked on the show's strength in the licensing market: 'It's not so much dependent on being a Korean story as it's a more universal story. So I think that's an important aspect to have — that a compelling specific story can have universality as well — and that kind of universality speaks to success in future licensing.' The musical critic Choi shared that view. 'This achievement owes much to the show's universal themes. The story's portrayal of love and friendship between soon-to-be obsolete beings resonates deeply with audience members,' Choi said. Choi also emphasized the impact of Will Aronson's refined and delicate score, particularly his enhancement of jazz numbers to give the music a distinctly 'American' resonance for Broadway audiences. 'Equally important were the meticulous scenic design and direction, which carefully rendered a digital world tailored to the emotional arc of the story,' she said. 'In the end, every element of the production came together in harmony to create a work of great beauty. And as a musical with a distinctly Korean identity, it also contributed meaningfully to Broadway's ongoing conversation around diversity and representation,' she added. The show's origins go back to 2014, when it was developed with funding from Korea's Wooran Foundation. It premiered in Seoul in 2016 and ran for five seasons in small theaters in Daehangno, before its English-language adaptation made it to New York's Belasco Theatre in November 2024. Marking the 10th anniversary of its creation, the original Korean-language version of "Maybe Happy Ending" will return to the stage in Seoul in October.
