The South Korean supernatural horror film Exhuma is continuing to achieve milestone after milestone, this week swiftly climbing to become the 25th most-watched Korean film of all time.
A record it earned less than a month since the film’s premiere on 22nd February.
The Korean Film Council made that significant announcement on earlier today, disclosing that as of March 16th, Exhuma had drawn an incredibly impressive total of 9,012,758 moviegoers in the 24 days since its release.
That landmark achievement not only establishes Exhuma as the first film of 2024 to surpass the 9 million audience mark, but has also caused it to surpass the 2014 smash hit film The Pirates starring Kim Nam Gil and Son Ye Jin.
Can Exhuma pass the more than 13.1 million admissions set by 12.12: The Day?
Exhuma passing 9 million moviegoers in just 24 days is quite an achievement.
Especially as the Korean horror film managed to do it three days before last year’s big hit 12.12: The Day achieved the same audience numbers.
That being said, if you look closely at the numbers, the time it is taking Exhuma to pass each new record set by 12.12: The Day is becoming shorter and shorter.
For instance, Exhuma passed 8 million moviegoers seven days before 12.12: The Day was able to achieve the same success.
But, to pass 9 million moviegoers, the horror film only managed to do it three days before 12.12: The Day.
That suggests, if Exhuma does pass 10 million moviegoers, it will likely do so close to the same pace as 12.12: The Day or even slower.
With 12.12: The Day having garnered over 13.1 million moviegoers, making it the 6th most-watched Korean film of all-time, there is also a long way to go yet for Exhuma to get to that milestone.
With that calculation in mind then, I am projecting Exhuma will likely not make it to the 13 million-plus mark 12.12: The Day achieved at the beginning of the year.
That does not, however, take away anything from the well-deserved success Exhuma has already earned.
9 million moviegoers is a huge number, and being the only supernatural horror film in South Korean history to surpass that number makes its achievement even more remarkable.
The critically-acclaimed Exhuma stars the superb cast of Choi Min Sik, Kim Go Eun, Yoo Hae Jin and Lee Do Hyun and, with the film now have been sold to 133 countries, is likely to be coming to a theater near you.
Soon. I hope.