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Heart-Rending Documentary Rewrites Box Office History

An indie documentary about a devoted elderly couple is rewriting the history of Korean cinema.

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"My Love, Don't Cross That River" topped the box office on Friday last week, and maintained its lead on Saturday by drawing 247,658 viewers in one day. It has now been watched by 776,424 people and is on course to hit 1 million 18 days after its release on Nov. 27.

The film has also garnered the highest review ratings on portal and movie booking sites. Staring from small beginnings like most indie films, it became a sleeper hit by word of mouth and great reviews.

"There is something special about this documentary", said film critic Shim Young-seop. "It celebrates love in a totally sincere way".

Director Jin Mo-young said that young viewers seem to have taken to this hopeful tale of enduring love between two old people. Viewers in their 20s account for 53.4 percent of people who booked on the CGV multiplex website, and other statistics suggest it is a favorite among women in their 20s.

The CEO of distributor JinJin Pictures, Kim Nan-sook, believes the theme of love and family have a broad appeal, especially at this time of year.

The film follows 89-year-old Kang Gye-yeol and her husband Jo Byung-man, nine years her senior, who have lived together for 76 years in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province but must now face the prospect of Jo dying and leaving her behind.

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