Over 600,000 Flocked to This R-Rated Korean Movie—Now It’s No.1 at the Box Office

The Korean crime film Yadang: The Snitch took the top spot at the weekend box office, drawing more than 600,000 viewers during its debut weekend.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network on April 21, Yadang: The Snitch attracted approximately 608,000 moviegoers from April 18 to 20, claiming first place with a 69.9% share of total ticket sales. As of the 20th, the film’s cumulative viewership stands at 786,077.

Yadang: The Snitch tells the story of a broker—slang for “yadang”—who makes money by leaking drug crime information to law enforcement agencies. The film stars Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, and Park Hae-joon, and is directed by Hwang Byung-guk. Since its release on April 16, it has remained firmly at the top of the daily box office rankings. The film is rated 19+, restricted to adult audiences.

The film's title, Yadang: The Snitch, refers to a broker who facilitates deals between police and criminals, profiting by tipping off authorities about drug-related activities. Kang Ha-neul plays Lee Kang-soo, the central character who operates as a yadang. The narrative unfolds from his perspective.

In a recent interview with Yonhap News, Kang Ha-neul shared, “What a yadang does isn’t exactly moral, so I didn’t want to justify the character or make him seem good. But at the same time, if he’s portrayed too negatively, viewers won’t feel inclined to follow his journey. So I focused on walking that fine line.”

He added, “I hoped audiences wouldn’t necessarily feel emotionally attached to Lee Kang-soo, but rather be intrigued by what he does next.”

Yoo Hae-jin plays prosecutor Goo Gwan-hee, who uses Lee Kang-soo to rack up drug busts and boost his own career—after turning Kang-soo into a yadang while he was serving time under false charges.

Director Hwang Byung-guk explained his vision, saying, “Most films or dramas dealing with drugs are dark and heavy. But I wanted to create something light, fast-paced, and energetic.”

Meanwhile, the film The Match (starring Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in), which follows the legendary real-life rivalry between Korean Go players Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho, came in second over the same weekend with around 105,000 viewers. Its cumulative total has reached nearly 2 million and is expected to surpass that milestone on April 21.

In third place was the Japanese animated film Attack on Titan: The Final Chapter – The Last Attack with approximately 22,000 viewers, followed by Minecraft: The Movie—a live-action adaptation of the hit game—with around 20,000 viewers.

As of 9 a.m. on April 21, The Holy Night: Demon Hunters, an occult action film starring and produced by Ma Dong-seok, ranked first in advance ticket sales with a 26.4% reservation rate and about 47,000 pre-sale tickets. It was followed by Broken (starring Lee Hye-young) at 19.8%, Yadang: The Snitch at 18.7%, and Minecraft: The Movie at 11.9%.

Get the latest on K-pop & K-drama here!