“12.12: The Day” becomes 2nd film this year to attract 10M moviegoers

“12.12: The Day” (Plus M Entertainment)

“12.12: The Day,” director Kim Seong-su’s historical drama revisiting the military-led coup that took place in 1979, became this year’s second film to join the club of 10 million tickets sold after “The Roundup: No Way Out.”

Having opened on Nov. 22, “12.12: The Day” took just 33 days to attract 10.06 million moviegoers, according to the number tallied by Korea Film Council on Sunday.

The film is the first non-sequel Korean film to surpass 10 million ticket sales after “Parasite” (2019).

“12.12: The Day” is lead actor Jung Woo-sung and director Kim Seong-su’s first movie to reach that milestone. It is actor Hwang Jung-min’s third film to hit the 10 million tickets sold mark after “Ode to My Father” (2014) and “Veteran” (2015). Jung and director Kim have worked together for the fifth time.

Kim has helmed various hit action noirs including “Beat” (1997), “City of the Rising Sun” (1999) and “Asura: The City of Madness” (2016).

Jung, who starred in various hit films including “A Moment to Remember” (2004), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008), “Steel Rain” (2017), has joined the club of films selling 10 million tickets after 29 years.

“12.12: The Day” (Plus M Entertainment)

“12.12: The Day” covers nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979, during a military coup in Seoul. Although the film is based on real events, the names of the characters have been altered to allow for a fictionalized plot.

Prolific actor Hwang Jung-min stars as Chun Doo-gwang, head of the Defense Security Command, who instigates the coup to seize power. Jung Woo-sung plays Capital Defense Cdr. Lee Tae-shin, who tries to stop the coup. Lee Seong-min and Park Hae-joon also appear as officers.

On the back of the film’s popularity, an online trend called “'12.12: The Day' Challenge” has gone viral, in which filmgoers share their heartbeat and stress levels measured via smartwatch after watching the film.