[HanCinema's News] "The Medium" Falls Short of 600,000 Viewer Mark

Following its sixth day of public release, the mystical Thai/Korean horror film "The Medium" now stands at 594,622 admissions. This is according to figures released by the Korean Film Council on July 20th. The unusual movie had been one of the most anticipated releases of the summer. But its box office numbers though impressive in the still COVID-19 depressed marketplace, were largely frontloaded as audiences have reacted to the film with ambivalence.

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While "The Medium" opened in first place at the South Korean box office with 177,598 admissions on its opening day, Wednesday July 14th, since then the film has struggled. A total of 75,801 admissions on July 15th marked the last time "The Medium" led at the South Korean box office. Throughout the weekend proper, "The Medium" fell behind the American film Black Widow, with the American superhero film retaining much of its relative box office share from the previous week.

Early reactions to "The Medium" from viewers have been fairly negative. Some criticized the movie aesthetically, describing "The Medium" as overly long and boring, particularly in the early sections. Others took issue with the film's depiction of menstruation, and considered the movie's exploitative depiction of women's bodily functions on par with illegal hidden bathroom cameras. Details are still being hashed out for "The Medium" to receive official releases in international markets.

Written by William Schwartz