The film "Once We Were Us", which has surpassed 2.5 million admissions nationwide, is expanding beyond Korea to meet overseas audiences.
According to industry sources, "Once We Were Us" has been sold to nine territories, including North America, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Its international rollout is already underway. It opened in Taiwan on the 16th of last month, followed by Singapore on the 22nd and North America on the 23rd. Additional releases across Southeast Asia and other Asian markets, including Indonesia, will follow in stages.
Released in Korea on December 31 last year, "Once We Were Us" is a relatable romance about Eun-ho (Koo Kyo-hwan) and Jung-won (Moon Ga-young), former lovers who reunite by chance after 10 years and trace the fragments of their memories. It’s a remake of the well-received Chinese film "Us and Them" (2018), adapted to fit Korean sensibilities.
In its second week, the film dethroned "Avatar: Fire and Ash" to claim No. 1 at the box office, surpassed its break-even point of 1.1 million admissions in 13 days, and reached a cumulative 2.5 million admissions on the 10th.
Attention is now on whether this down-to-earth melodrama, which resonated deeply with Korean moviegoers, can also connect with audiences in North America and across Asia.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)