Korean Film ‘Harbin’ Takes Box Office by Storm with Record Pre-Sales

The film Harbin, which tells the story of Korean independence activist An Jung Geun, is already generating massive buzz thanks to impressive advance ticket sales on its opening day.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing system, as of 9 AM on Tuesday, Harbin has a remarkable pre-sale rate of 56.2%. This is far outpacing other major releases, including Firefighters (8.2%), Mufasa: The Lion King (6.9%), and Moana 2 (5.9%). The film’s pre-sale ticket count has already reached an impressive 554,441.

In Harbin, South Korean star Hyun Bin plays An Jung Geun, a revered figure in Korean history known for his assassination of Japanese official Ito Hirobumi. The film centers on freedom fighters who unite for this mission and explore their internal conflicts and suspicions. The cast also features Park Jeong Min and Jo Woo Jin, with Inside Men and The Man Standing Next director Woo Min Ho behind the camera.

Harbin is a groundbreaking project. It is the first Korean film to be shot and released in IMAX format. The movie was filmed in dramatic locations across Mongolia and Latvia, adding to its global appeal. The production had a hefty budget of over 30 billion won (roughly $20.5 million), and industry insiders estimate the break-even point at around 6.5 million viewers.