Japan's 'Chikawa' Tops Box Office for Second Weekend; 'Assassination(s)' Surpasses 3 Million Viewers

'Tazza: The Hidden Card' 3rd, 'The Odyssey' 4thJapanese animation 'Chikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island' (left) took first place at the weekend box office in its second week of release, and 'Assassination(s)' surpassed 3 million cumulative viewers. /Movie Poster[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] 'Chikawa' and 'Assassination(s)' dominated the weekend movie theaters.According to the Korean Film Council's Integrated Network of Automated Film Reporting System, 'Chikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island' (Director Kei Oiwa, hereinafter referred to as 'Chikawa') captivated 407,895 viewers from the 9th to the 11th, taking first place at the box office. The cumulative number of viewers is 1,281,485.'Chikawa (Hachi-Mao)' is a manga serialized by Japanese illustrator Nagano, depicting the joyful, poignant, and sometimes rough daily lives of unique characters.The movie 'Chikawa,' based on the most popular episode 'Seiren Arc' serialized in 2023, is an animation that depicts Chikawa and his companions embarking on a mysterious subjugation mission to an unknown island, lured by the sweet temptation of 100 times the reward, and uncovering the secrets hidden there. Nagano himself participated in the script and supervision, fully capturing the charm and emotion of the original work.Second place went to 'Assassination(s)' (Director Hur Jin-ho), which drew 407,680 viewers. The film also achieved the feat of surpassing 3 million viewers, becoming the fifth Korean film released this year to do so.Released on the 23rd of last month, 'Assassination(s)' is a film that traces the suspicions and masterminds behind the assassination of the First Lady that shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974. It is based on the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, which occurred during the 1974 Liberation Day ceremony, an event that had never been covered in Korean cinema before.'Assassination(s)' enjoyed a successful run, dominating the Chuseok holiday box office, but faced unexpected issues. Some raised concerns about historical distortion, pointing to scenes suggesting the involvement of former President Park Chung-hee or the Central Intelligence Agency in the incident, and claims of Chinese capital investment led to it becoming the center of various controversies.In response, the production company issued an official statement to distance itself from the allegations, but the controversy surrounding the film spilled beyond the screen, with protests occurring in front of the homes of actors involved in the production. Ultimately, 'Assassination(s)' canceled its stage greetings and official participation in the 31st Busan International Film Festival.Despite this chaotic atmosphere, 'Assassination(s)' continues to attract audiences, and attention is focused on what new box office records it will set.'Tazza: The Hidden Card' (Director Choi Gook-hee) ranked 3rd with 190,080 viewers, 'The Odyssey' (Director Christopher Nolan) ranked 4th with 95,218 viewers, and 'Resurrection Man: The Red' (Director Baek) ranked 5th with 49,345 viewers.[Entertainment Desk | ]jiyoon-1031@tf.co.krssent@tf.co.kr