Director Lee Myung-se’s documentary Ran 12.3 has climbed to No. 1 in overall advance ticket sales two days before release.
According to the Korean Film Council’s advance sales tally on the 20th, Ran 12.3 leads with a 16.5% share and 38,000 presold tickets―No. 1 in both categories. It edged out The Devil Wears Prada 2 (15.7%), which opens on the 29th, and AUDITION 109 (11.8%), which bows the same day. It’s a rare feat for a documentary to top the chart, fueling buzz for a surprise hit.
Ran 12.3 is Lee Myung-se’s cinematic documentary capturing the tense, on-the-ground scenes of those who moved to defend democracy in response to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s surprise declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024.
Long celebrated as a stylist in Chungmuro, Lee makes his first foray into documentary directing here. Stripping out interviews and narration, he uses sensory visuals and sharp satire to spotlight the lead-up and aftermath of December 3, 2024.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)