[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] The Japanese animated film "Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island" (Chiikawa) took the top spot at the weekend box office.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the 19th, “Chiikawa” drew 378,479 viewers over the three-day weekend from the 16th to the 18th, taking the top spot at the box office. Its cumulative audience count reached 1,828,914, surpassing the 1.8 million mark.

“The Assassin(s)” ranked second during the same period, drawing 140,019 viewers. Its cumulative attendance reached 3,249,176, approaching the 3.25 million mark.

“Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub” took third place with 94,317 weekend viewers. Its cumulative attendance stands at 1,911,193, and it is on the verge of surpassing 2 million.

Director Christopher Nolan’s long-running hit “The Martian” drew 52,441 viewers over the weekend, ranking fourth. Its cumulative attendance stands at 12,267,666. Although attendance dropped by 42,768 (44.9%) compared to the previous week, the film continued its box office momentum, having surpassed 12 million cumulative viewers.

“Whalefall: The Man Eaten by a Whale,” which opened on the 14th, drew 38,637 viewers over the weekend to take fifth place. Its cumulative attendance stands at 56,363. Although it entered the top ranks among new releases during its opening weekend, it now faces competition from existing box office hits.

In the weekend box office, “Chiikawa” maintained its lead by accounting for 42.7% of total revenue, while Korean films such as “The Assassin(s)” and “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub” attracted audiences in the 3 million and 1.9 million ranges, respectively. With existing blockbusters still holding their ground, the box office performance of these new releases is expected to determine the future rankings.