Song Joong-ki’s Latest Korean Film is Smash Hit on Opening Day: Surges Past 18% in Real-Time Ticket Sales

The highly anticipated Korean film 'Bogotá: Land of Last Chance' officially hit theaters today (Dec. 31), igniting interest with an impressive 18% real-time ticket reservation rate and claiming the #2 spot in advance sales, surpassing numerous currently showing titles.

Directed by Kim Seong-je, the movie stars Song Joong-ki as Guk-hee, a man seeking new hope in Bogotá, Colombia, after the IMF crisis, as he navigates his way through Bogotá's Korean community and encounters influential figures such as Soo-young (Lee Hee-jun) and Sergeant Park (Kwon Hae-hyo).

Kim Seong-je, who made his debut with 'The Unfair' (2015), directed this ambitious project featuring an ensemble cast, including Lee Hee-jun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Jo Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo, and as of 10:24 a.m. on Dec. 31, the Korea Film Council reported 'Bogotá' with a real-time ticket reservation rate of 18.4%, amounting to 81,083 advance tickets sold, while the film’s cumulative audience count stood at 3,652 as of the same morning.

Currently leading the box office is 'Harbin', starring Hyun Bin, with a commanding 36% reservation rate, followed by other top contenders such as 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' (6.7%), 'The Firefighter' (5.0%), 'Civil War' (4.4%), and 'Pororo: Movie –Underwater Adventure' (3.9%).

Fans have taken to the comments section of the film’s trailer to share their enthusiasm, with remarks such as “The scale is massive, and the story looks so intriguing,” “The supporting cast—Park Ji-hwan, Jo Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo—is top-notch,” “I’ve been waiting for this forever,” and “This is a must-watch for Song Joong-ki fans.”

The release of 'Bogotá: Land of Last Chance' coincides with the aftermath of the tragic Jeju Air plane crash on Dec. 29, leading to a subdued promotional campaign, and with a national mourning period in effect until Jan. 4, all promotional activities, including stage greetings scheduled for New Year’s Day, have been canceled; however, due to scheduling constraints, the film opened as planned.

Set during the aftermath of the IMF crisis, 'Bogotá: Land of Last Chance' follows the harrowing survival journey of Guk-hee as he pursues a dream of success in Colombia, and to enhance authenticity, the production minimized set use and became the first Korean film to shoot extensively in Bogotá, Colombia, with the film’s production budget reportedly reaching 15 billion KRW (approximately $10.19 million USD).

Song Joong-ki portrays Guk-hee from his teens to his 30s, delivering a nuanced performance that captures a wide spectrum of life experiences, and he described his efforts to portray Guk-hee’s burning ambition, saying, "This is the first time I’ve played a character with such a long narrative arc."

'Bogotá: Land of Last Chance' enters a heated year-end battle against 'Harbin', the Hyun Bin-led historical blockbuster directed by Woo Min-ho, which opened a week earlier on Dec. 24 and has been dominating the box office, surpassing 2.38 million cumulative viewers as of Dec. 30, and with both films featuring expansive overseas locations and high production values, the competition to claim the top spot in the year-end box office is expected to be intense.