SEOUL - "The Roundup: Punishment," the latest installment in the popular Korean crime-action franchise, has quickly surpassed 2 million admissions, becoming the fastest film of 2024 to achieve this feat. Released just this Wednesday, the movie has captivated a large audience, its distributor ABO Entertainment announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the film starring Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee, opened to impressive numbers, drawing 820,000 viewers on its first day and reaching the 1 million mark by Thursday. By Saturday morning, "The Roundup: Punishment" accounted for 870,000, or 92.7 percent, of all ticket reservations at the local box office, dominating over other films like the animated "Kung Fu Panda 4," which held a distant second place with only 2.7 percent.
The movie's plot centers around the character Ma Seok-do, a tenacious cop played by Ma Dong-seok, who pursues a ruthless global drug kingpin and a cryptocurrency entrepreneur involved in money laundering through illegal online casinos. Beyond his starring role, Ma Dong-seok contributed significantly to the project as a planner, screenwriter, and producer. The film was directed by Heo Myeong-haeng, known for his previous work as a martial arts choreographer on the franchise's first three films.
With "Punishment" continuing to draw large crowds, it is projected to exceed 3 million admissions over the weekend.