The Korean movie "A Taxi Driver" set a box office record when it drew 10 million audience, the first movie in Korea to achieve the feat this year.
"A Taxi Driver" achieved its 2017 best selling movie status at 8AM on August 20 when its cumulative audience reached 10,068,708, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), or just 19 days after the film was released on August 2.
The movie is based on the true story of the late German journalist Jurgen Hinzpeter, who covered the Gwangju Uprising in Korea in May 1980 that resulted in the death of hundreds people. Because of the incident, Gwangju is considered by Koreans as the birthplace of modern democratic movement.
In "A Taxi Driver," actor Song Kang Ho plays the role of a Seoul taxi driver named Kim Man-seob who takes German journalist Peter, played by German actor Thomas Kretschmann, to Gwangju from Seoul.
Distributor Showbox said "A Taxi Driver" is now the 15th Korean movie and 19th movie of all time to reach 10 million audience, according to Yonhap News.
The zombie flick "Train to Busan" was the last movie to breach the 10-million-ticket mark with 11.56 million in total admission last year.
Moviegoers and critics were expecting "A Taxi Driver" to reach 10 million Sunday. As of August 19, the movie was watched by 9,953,521 people and had a total revenue of US$68.83 million.
"Roaring Currents," the best selling movie of all time in Korea that was released in 2014, achieved the same feat in 12 days.
"A Taxi Driver" director Jang Hoon was elated upon hearing the good news.
"I was under a lot of pressure making the historic episode into a film since so many people are still living with the brutal memories of the Gwangju uprising. I am so happy that I could connect with many people. I really thank many actors for their sincere acting and staff for their hard work," he said.
