Wild Sing rides dance-floor buzz to a No. 2 box-office debut

Director Son Jae-gon's new comedy 'Wild Thing' ranked 2nd at the box office during its opening week. According to the Korean Film Council KoBiz daily box office on June 7, 'Wild Thing' recorded 111,739 admissions, ranking 2nd following 'Colony' and outperforming 'Backroom' and 'Michael.'

'Wild Thing' tells the story of 'Triangle,' a three-member co-ed dance group that once swept the music industry before disbanding, as they get a chance to make a comeback after 20 years. Gang Dong Won appears as the leader Hwang Hyun-woo, Um Tae-goo as the rapper Koo Sang-gu, and Park Ji-hyun as the vocalist Byeon Do-mi. Oh Jung Se provides additional laughter as the ballad singer Choi Seong-gon.

'Love is' Music Video reaches 3,538,659 views

Ahead of the plot, songs and performances took center stage for promotion. As of the morning of the 8th, on Lotte Entertainment's official YouTube channel, the 'Triangle' 'Love is' music video recorded 3,538,659 views, Choi Seong-gon's 'I Like You' music video recorded 1,588,272 views, and the main trailer recorded 1,126,669 views.

This means the music videos of the fictional singers in the film were consumed more than the main trailer. What catches the eye first in the official videos are the unfamiliar dance lines of Gang Dong Won and Um Tae-goo, Park Ji-hyun's center image, and the ballads sung seriously by Oh Jung Se. 'Wild Thing' piqued audience curiosity by showcasing the actors' image transformations outside the theater first.

'Colony' holds 1st place for 3 consecutive weekends

The number one spot for the same weekend belonged to 'Colony.' 'Colony' maintained its position as the number one weekend performer for three consecutive weeks, gathering 603,868 people from June 5 to 7, and mobilized 204,215 people on June 7 alone. While the enclosed-space infection genre emphasized the tension of the theatrical experience, 'Wild Thing' created a different motivation for viewing through bright musical imagery and transformations close to self-parody by the actors.

On June 7, the 111,739 viewers of 'Wild Thing' surpassed the 67,799 viewers of the 3rd place 'Backroom.' For audiences looking for an alternative to dark genre films, 'Wild Thing' has established itself as a Korean comedy where one can laugh lightly.

Son Jae-gon's comedy and the 1990s co-ed group setting

Director Son Jae-gon previously presented 'Sweet, Ferocious Lover,' 'Villain on the Second Floor,' and 'Don't Harm Me.' His comedy has gained strength from moments where situations are blown wide open and actors hold their ground nonchalantly.

'Wild Thing' combines that rhythm with the memories of the music broadcast generation. The setting of a co-ed group from the late 1990s touches the nostalgia of a specific generation, while the YouTube music video format creates an entry point for younger audiences. The 2nd place ranking in the first opening weekend and the official music video view counts show that 'Wild Thing' is successfully translating its buzz outside the theater into motivation for theater attendance.