'Snowpiercer' Charts New Terrain for Korean Movie in France

Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" has become the best-selling Korean movie ever released in France. According to Rentrak, which tracks global box office results, it attracted 331,542 viewers in the country as of Sunday. The movie first hit French theaters on Oct. 30.

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The previous record was set by Im Kwon-taek's "Chihwaseon", which attracted 315,378 people after it was released in over 60 cinemas across France in 2002.

"Bong already had a high level of recognition in France, where the movie generated much critical acclaim. Its success was also partly due to the favorable review from the French author of the original comics [on which the movie was based]", according to CJ E&M, the film's overseas distributor.

"As it is off to a good start at the box office in France, the first country outside of Korea where it was released, we believe the movie will also fare well in other countries this winter".

The movie focuses on a de facto class struggle inside an armor-plated train among a group of survivors after the world has experienced a new Ice Age. It was seen by over 9.3 million people in Korea this summer and is scheduled to hit theaters in Hong Kong this month and Japan in February.