A Top Star in Tears: The $8.57 Million Korean Film That Hit Netflix Just a Month After Release

2025-02-04 08:48

Despite a total production cost of 12.5 billion KRW, the film fell short of its 3 million break-even point.

In a surprising turn of events, the Korean film Bogotá: City of the Lost (hereafter Bogotá) made its way to Netflix just a month after its theatrical release.

Still from the film 'Bogotá.' / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment

Despite its hefty ₩12.5 billion KRW (roughly $9 million ) budget, the film fell short of expectations at the box office, leaving its lead actor, Song Joong-ki, in tears during a recent event.

Directed by Kim Seong-je, Bogotá follows Guk-hee (Song Joong-ki) as he heads to Bogotá, Colombia, in search of new opportunities after South Korea’s 1997 IMF crisis. There, he becomes entangled with Soo-young (Lee Hee-jun), a key player in the local Korean community, and Sergeant Park (Kwon Hae-hyo). The film also features performances by Lee Hee-jun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Jo Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo.

Filming began in 2019, but Bogotá faced numerous setbacks when COVID-19 forced production to halt during on-location shoots in Colombia. After nearly five years of delays, it was finally released in late 2024. However, it struggled to gain traction at the box office, competing against major blockbusters like Harbin, starring Hyun Bin, and The Firefighters. The film managed to attract only 420,000 moviegoers, far below its 3 million break-even target.

Adding to its challenges, a plane crash involving a Jeju Air flight on December 29, 2024, prompted the film's promotional activities to be suspended, further dampening its potential success.

Actors Park Ji-hwan (from left), Lee Hee-jun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Kim Jong-soo, and Song Joong-ki pose during a press conference for the film Bogotá: City of the Lost, held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam, Seoul, on December 19, 2024. / News1

Song Joong-ki’s earlier film, Hopeless, which premiered in October 2023, also failed to leave a significant mark, drawing only 260,000 viewers. The actor expressed his disappointment during a guest visit (GV) at a Megabox theater in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on January 12, saying, “Korean cinema is facing difficult times. These days, I’m just grateful when a film gets screened in theaters. I did everything I could to promote this movie because I wanted people to notice it and see its beauty.” Overcome with emotion, Song admitted that promoting Bogotá was an emotional experience, as he “couldn’t help tearing up” while speaking.