[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Director Christopher Nolan’s “The Martian” has surpassed 4 million viewers just 12 days after its release and is gaining momentum for a long-running box office success.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the 16th, “The Martian” had recorded a cumulative audience of 4,294,209 as of 6:46 a.m. that day.
It surpassed the 4 million mark just 12 days after its release. This is a faster pace than other films released this year: *The Man Who Lives with the King* surpassed 4 million on its 15th day, *The Swarm* on its 13th day, and *Hope* on its 19th day.
It is also rewriting director Nolan’s domestic box office records. “Odyssey” has surpassed the final attendance figure of “Oppenheimer,” which drew 3.23 million viewers in Korea, and has entered the top five of Nolan’s highest-grossing films in the country.
Most notably, the enthusiasm for advance ticket sales shows no signs of waning even in its second week. “Odyssey” has held the No. 1 spot in overall advance ticket sales for 14 consecutive days and the No. 1 spot at the overall box office for 11 consecutive days. On the 15th, its seat occupancy rate was 69.9%, the highest among all films.
Unlike major blockbusters, which typically see ticket sales peak just before release and then decline, *The Odyssey* is showing an unusual trend of increasing ticket sales since its release. Ticket sales, which stood at approximately 600,000 on opening day, rose to 800,000 on the 12th and surpassed 1.05 million on the 15th. As of 9:00 a.m. on the 16th, advance ticket sales stood at 956,197 tickets, demonstrating continued strong momentum. It appears that the initial buzz surrounding the film’s release is translating into word-of-mouth among actual moviegoers, driving ticket sales into its second week.
In particular, strong demand continues to center on special screening formats such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema. The CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall IMAX theater—capable of displaying the 1.43:1 IMAX aspect ratio and known as “Yong-A-Mac”—had virtually every showing sold out as of the 15th, with tickets available through the 25th.
The situation is similar at Dolby Cinema theaters, which are often cited as alternatives to “Yong-A-Mac.” The Dolby Cinema screens at Megabox Namyangju Hyundai Outlet Space One and Hanam Starfield—known among movie enthusiasts as “Nam-Dolby” and “Ha-Dolby”—are also drawing such large crowds that it’s difficult to secure good seats during peak weekend hours. There is even a growing trend of audiences traveling to other regions to watch the film in theaters equipped with large screens, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos.
The high popularity of these special theaters demonstrates that the success of *The Odyssey* extends beyond mere audience numbers to a growing interest in “where to watch it.” As word spreads that this is the first feature-length film shot entirely with an IMAX film camera, there is a noticeable shift in demand toward viewing environments like IMAX and Dolby Cinema over standard theaters.
Audience reviews are also supporting the film’s success. *The Odyssey* has recorded a 98% rating on CGV’s Golden Egg Index and maintains high ratings across major theaters and portals, including 9.6 at Lotte Cinema, 9.4 at Megabox, and 9.17 from actual viewers on Naver. Notably, some rating metrics have actually risen in its second week of release, reinforcing the film’s potential for a long-term run.
A film industry insider stated, “*The Odyssey* is proving once again that Korean audiences have tremendous trust in director Christopher Nolan,” adding, “Considering that the audience has grown in its second week of release and advance ticket sales are approaching 1 million, we can expect this to be Nolan’s second film to reach the 10 million viewer mark, following *Interstellar*.”