The Box Office Sensation Dominating with 41% Ticket Sales on Opening Day

A new contender has taken the spotlight at the Lunar New Year box office, with Hitman 2 losing its top spot to the highly anticipated film Dark Nuns on its opening day.

Debuting on January 24, Dark Nuns recorded an impressive 41.1% ticket reservation rate and 202,000 pre-sale tickets by 9 a.m., according to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing system. This figure more than doubles Hitman 2's 18.1% reservation rate and 89,000 tickets, marking a strong opening for the supernatural thriller.

Directed by Kwon Hyuk-jae, Dark Nuns is a spiritual successor to the 2015 hit The Priests, sharing its cinematic universe. The story follows two nuns, played by Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-been, as they defy the Catholic Church's rules to perform an exorcism on a possessed boy. The film also stars Lee Jin-wook as Father Paolo, adding gravitas to the ensemble cast.

Dark Nuns delves into the supernatural through the lens of Catholicism, as two nuns defy tradition to perform a forbidden exorcism on a possessed boy. The film explores faith, spiritual struggles, and moral dilemmas, blending occult themes with psychological drama for an intense and gripping narrative.

For Song Hye-kyo, Dark Nuns marks her long-awaited return to Korean cinema after 11 years, following her last film My Brilliant Life in 2014. Anticipation for her comeback has been immense, with the movie holding the top reservation spot across CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox chains for nine consecutive days leading up to its release.

Early viewers have praised the film:

"Flawless performances across the board!"

"This is the most heartfelt occult drama I've ever seen."

"The concept of nuns performing an exorcism is so fresh, and Song Hye-kyo brought a unique depth to it."

"I hope the series continues—it was both chilling and emotionally powerful."

In an interview on January 23, director Kwon shared his excitement about the project, saying, “As a fan of The Priests, I was thrilled to be part of its universe. It’s been an honor to bring a fresh take to the genre with this story.”

As the Lunar New Year box office heats up, Dark Nuns faces stiff competition from Hitman 2 and the upcoming fantasy romance Secret: Untold Melody, starring Do Kyung-soo and Won Jin-ah, set to release on January 27.

A remake of the 2008 Taiwanese hit, Secret: Untold Melody stars Do Kyung-soo and Won Jin-ah as a piano prodigy and a mysterious woman whose romance unfolds with a magical twist. As of January 24, the film holds a 9.1% reservation rate with over 45,000 tickets sold ahead of its release.

Meanwhile, Hitman 2, which premiered on January 22, continues to attract audiences, drawing over 100,000 viewers on its first day. The action-comedy stars Kwon Sang-woo as a former NIS agent turned webtoon artist, whose life spirals out of control when his work inspires a real-life terrorist attack. The film has been praised for its humorous script and strong chemistry between the cast.

Here are the box office rankings as of January 23:

1) Hitman 2 (Total viewers: 179,689)

2) Harbin (Total viewers: 4,569,257)

3) The Substance (Total viewers: 277,240)

4) Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (Total viewers: 1,892)

5) Dark Nuns (Total viewers: 17,657)

6) Firefighters (Total viewers: 3,830,234)

7) Wicked (Total viewers: 2,204,799)

8) Crayon Shin-chan: My Dinosaur Diary (Total viewers: 752,190)

9) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Total viewers: 4,443,214)

10) The Fall: Director’s Cut (Total viewers: 74,081)

As Dark Nuns dominates ticket reservations and Secret: Untold Melody prepares to enter the race, the box office competition promises a thrilling showdown this holiday season.