The Childe (2023) starring Kim Seonho, Kang Tae-joo, Kim Kang-woo, and Go Ara has crossed 100,000 admissions after four days of release, becoming the highest grossing Korean film of the year in Indonesia, according to CBI Pictures.
Rated R-18 in South Korea but R-17 in Indonesia, The Childe (2023) reached 50,000 audiences on June 23rd, Friday and sold 100,000 tickets as of June 25th, Sunday. It premiered on June 21st, Wednesday in Indonesia, same opening day as South Korea and Taiwan.
The commercial success of The Childe (2023) in Indonesia is a powerful testament to the Hallyu fame of Kim Seonho overseas. Early in June this year, the superstar also held a two-day sold out fan meeting in Jakarta, pulling in nearly 7,000 audiences.
From the fan meeting to the movie release, the craze is real and energy is high among Indonesian spectators for the well-loved Hallyu actor: “One of the best action Korean movies in 2023”, “Kim Seonho’s flawless acting is the main highlight of this film”, “Kim Seonho is really good at acting”, “A must-watch!”, “A refreshing film noir by Park Hoon-jung”, “Intriguing and surprisingly bloody!”, “Kim Seonho in an iconic and one-of-a-kind titular character”, “Kim Seonho in his best performance!”, “The most thrilling noir film”, “Highly recommended!”
CNN Indonesia also states, “This film proves Kim Seon-ho as a versatile actor,” and adds, “The Childe is a new work from Park Hoon-jung that manages to entertain and still imply social issues in it.”
Other Korean films that were released in Indonesian cinemas this year include The Roundup: No Way Out (2023), Soulmate (2023), and The Devil’s Deal (2023).
The Childe (2023) is an action, noir film that highlights the mad pursuit of an aspiring Korean-Filipino (Kopino) boxer named Marco Han who goes to various illegal arenas in the Philippines by a strange nobleman and other mysterious forces whose unknown mission is but to chase him and make his life a mess. Struggling to provide for his ill mother, the Kopino comes to South Korea to find his father but strangely finds himself in a perilous situation with unidentified chasers. It is written and helmed by Park Hoon-jung, the Korean director best known for his original and distinct style of R-rated noir action films.
The Childe (2023) premiered on June 21 in South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia and on June 23 in Vietnam. It is also showing in Singapore and Malaysia on June 29; in USA and Canada on June 30; in the Philippines on July 5; in Hongkong on July 13; and in Thailand on July 27.
Congratulations, The Childe!
Image cover: Next Entertainment World (NEW)
KORB 