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‘Avengers’ sequel dominates S. Korean box office on opening day

April 24, 2015

(Courtesy of Disney/Marvel Studios)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — The much-anticipated Hollywood blockbuster “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” has drawn a large attendance of 620,000 on the day of release in South Korea, a market tracker said Friday.

A total of 622,210 viewers saw the film on 1,731 screens around the country Thursday, a number which accounts for 92.6 percent of tickets sold in local theaters, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) said.

This marked the third best opening-day performance ever in local box-office history after “Roaring Currents” and “Shrek 3,” which drew 680,300 and 626,000 people on their opening days in 2013 and 2007, respectively.

Director Bong Joon-ho’s English-language debut film “Snowpiercer” ranked fourth with 601,000.

For non-Korean films, the Avengers sequel sits at No. 2 on the list next to the animated film “Shrek 3.”

Two of Marvel’s previous superhero blockbusters — the first Avengers film and “Iron Man 3″ — attracted 214,000 and 422,000 people, respectively, on their opening days here.

On Friday afternoon, the Avengers sequel topped 1 million in attendance, according to the KOFIC.

The film has received wide public attention as it was partly filmed in Seoul’s major downtown areas, including Gangnam, Sangam-dong and Mapo, last year. The star-studded cast members’ visit to Seoul last week heightened expectations for the film.

The action flick sees the superhero team take on the villain Ultron and fight against his destructive plans. Directed by Joss Whedon, the film is set to open May 1 in U.S. theaters.