[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] This year’s Chuseok holiday season has brought a long-awaited “holiday boom” to the box office. Four highly anticipated Korean films are opening one after another, joined by the re-release of “Avengers: Endgame”—the highest-grossing foreign film of all time—and animated films targeting family audiences. With such a rich lineup, viewers now have even more fun choosing movies based on their preferred genres and tastes.

◇Four Korean Films Hit Theaters…Aiming Straight for Chuseok Audiences

Korean films appear to be well-prepared for this Chuseok holiday season. Four films—“The Intern,” “The Assassin(s),” “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub,” and “Possible Love”—are set to hit theaters one after another. This stands in stark contrast to last year’s Chuseok, when only “The Boss” held the box office.

Among the four films, *The Intern* is highlighted as one that can resonate with audiences of all ages. It is a Korean reinterpretation of the 2015 Hollywood film *The Intern*, starring Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee. With a rating of 12 and up, it’s an easy choice for parents and children to watch together. For those who prefer genre films, there’s *Assassin(s)*. This crime thriller, inspired by the 1974 assassination attempt on the First Lady, stars Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-il. This film is also rated for audiences 12 and older.

Options for adult audiences vary depending on personal taste. Among films rated “No Minors Allowed,” *Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub*—which set a record for the highest advance ticket sales in history—is a crime-thriller starring Byun Yo-han and Noh Jae-won, marking the final installment in the *Tazza* series. It’s a popcorn movie (a lighthearted, mainstream film) that can be enjoyed easily even without prior knowledge of the series’ universe or poker rules. Director Lee Chang-dong’s *Possible Love*, which won the Grand Jury Prize (Silver Lion) at the Venice International Film Festival, is also rated “No Minors Allowed.” With its Netflix release scheduled for November, the film will be available in theaters for only about two weeks.

◇ From “familiar favorites” to family animations… Why not choose something to suit your taste?

Foreign films and animations are also contributing to the Chuseok box office. On the 23rd, “Avengers: Endgame” was re-released. The film, which drew over 13.97 million viewers in Korea in 2019 and holds the record as the highest-grossing foreign film of all time, is also screening exclusive footage from “Avengers: Doomsday,” scheduled for release in December.

Animated films targeting family audiences are also aiming to capitalize on the Chuseok holiday season. “Octonauts: Above & Beyond—Heart-Pounding Nature Adventure” and DreamWorks’ new release “The Forgotten Island” are perfect for watching with young children. Both films are animated adventures steeped in fantasy and are set to offer family audiences a fresh viewing experience. *Odyssey*, which surpassed 10 million viewers this summer, remains a strong contender and will go head-to-head with the new releases.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network, as of 10 a.m. today, “Assassin(s)” ranked first in advance ticket sales with a 30.8% share (235,186 tickets sold). It has approximately 100,000 more advance ticket sales than “The Odyssey” (139,222), which ranked second. Next in line are “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub” at 15.2% (116,131), “Possible Love” at 5.3% (40,516), and “Avengers: Endgame Encore.”

Film critic Yoon Seong-eun said, “As audiences have more options, an atmosphere is created that draws them back to theaters,” adding, “This could lead to a boom not only for Korean films but for the entire theater industry.”