Domestic movies gaining traction with local audiences

Local audiences flocked to South Korean movies during the first half of the year, a positive sign as the domestic film industry battles the ongoing economic downturn and a deluge of Hollywood blockbusters.

Domestic movies accounted for 44.7 percent of ticket sales in Korea during the first half of this year, an increase of 7.5 percentage points from the same period in 2008, the Korea Film Council said. U.S. films accounted for 45.1 percent of the market, a decrease of 9.3 percentage points from the same period a year ago.

Overall ticket sales at local theaters increased by 2.9 percent, totaling a record-breaking 476 billion won ($375 million).

Among the 72.1 million tickets sold, more than 32 million were for domestic films. European films accounted for 4.4 percent of the local market, followed by Chinese and Japanese films with 2.9 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.

Yonhap