Over half a million South Koreans watch Die Another Day despite protests on both sides of the border

15-Jan-2003 • Die Another Day

According to the Korea Association of Film Art & Industry, more than 580,000 South Korean`s have watched Die Another Day so far. But, box office rank dropped from 5th to 9th during last weekend(between Jan. 11th~12th) as the protests mounted.

In Seoul, only 17 theatres are now showing DAD - down from 40 when movie opened on Dec. 31th.

"007 was beaten by rival movies such as Two Towers and Harry Potter, but anti-007 protests have affected the situation very little" Fox Korea said. They are expecting to achieve 375,500 viewers from city of Seoul only. The World Is Not Enough recorded 375,500 in Seoul three years ago.

At that time, strong anti-US protests were also going on in South Korea. They were protesting about two South Korean girls who were killed by a US Army armored vehicle. Last November, the US Army court sentenced "not guilty" to the two US soldiers who responsible for the accident. That created ill feeling with Korean people and DAD may have become a victim of the anti-US sentiment. Sources inside Korea said the many errors about the Korean aspect of the film, and it`s ill timing, only worsened matters.

Fox Korea supposedly attempted to delay the opening date to February and wait until anti-US sentiment in Korea had lessened.

Thanks to Young for the article.