[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Director Christopher Nolan’s *The Martian* is on the verge of reaching 7 million viewers and continues its run toward the 10-million mark. With advance ticket sales well over 500,000 even in its third week of release, the film is considered to have moved beyond a simple early box office hit and entered a phase of long-term success.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the 23rd, “The Odyssey” had recorded a cumulative audience of approximately 6,607,164 as of that morning. Given the current trend in audience turnout, it is projected to surpass the 7 million mark later today.
Above all, the enthusiasm for advance ticket sales shows no signs of waning even in its third week of release. As of 9 a.m. today, advance ticket sales for “The Odyssey” have reached approximately 570,000 tickets. Unlike major films, which typically see their initial momentum fade quickly, “The Odyssey” is maintaining significant advance ticket demand despite the successive releases of new films. This indicates that the film still has the “staying power” needed to reach the 10-million-viewer milestone.
Its initial box office momentum was also rapid. “The Odyssey” surpassed 6 million viewers on its 17th day in theaters. This is faster than *The Man Who Lives with the King* (which drew 16.91 million viewers this year), which surpassed 6 million on its 20th day, and *Spring in Seoul*, which did so on its 18th day. Notably, it reached the 6-million milestone at the same pace as *Interstellar*, director Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing film in Korea and a 10-million-viewer hit.

◇Will Nolan’s Second 10-Million-Viewer Film Be Born?
Now, the film industry’s attention naturally turns to the “10 million” mark. The 7 million mark is a crucial turning point in determining whether the film will reach 10 million. Since this figure is difficult to achieve based solely on initial fan enthusiasm and demand for special screenings, the key going forward will be how long word-of-mouth from general audiences and repeat viewings can be sustained.
“The Odyssey” has quite a few factors working in its favor. Not only has director Nolan himself established himself as a box office brand in Korea, but the strong perception that the film must be seen on a large screen or in a special theater is stimulating demand for in-theater viewings. Furthermore, the high advance ticket sales that have continued through the third week of release are seen as a sign that a significant portion of the audience has yet to see the film.
However, attracting the remaining 3 million viewers—the gap between 7 million and 10 million—is another challenge. Rather than seeing daily attendance numbers surge explosively as they did in the early release period, the film must steadily build its audience as the number of screenings and available seats gradually decreases. The key factor in reaching 10 million will be how well it defends its current advance ticket sales rate and screening market share against the onslaught of upcoming new releases.
If *The Odyssey* surpasses 10 million, Director Nolan will have two 10-million-viewer films in South Korea, following *Interstellar*. It is also significant that another 10-million-viewer film will be born, following *Wangsa Nam*, which drew 16.91 million viewers this year.