[Edaily Reporter YUN GI BACK ] The Japanese animated film “Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” topped the box office, surpassing 2.72 million cumulative viewers. It also secured the highest number of advance ticket sales, raising expectations for continued box office success.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network, “Chiikawa” drew 67,621 viewers in a single day to claim the No. 1 spot at the box office. Its cumulative audience total stands at 2,725,867. It maintained a lead in audience numbers, opening up a gap of more than 20,000 viewers over the second-place film.
In second place was “The Final Interview,” which drew 44,616 viewers. The gap in daily attendance between it and “Chiikawa” was 23,005. Although “Chiikawa” attracted about 1.5 times as many viewers as “The Final Interview,” the latter secured second place in advance ticket sales, laying the groundwork to continue its pursuit.
“Heart of the Beast” took third place with 38,112 viewers. The gap with “The Final Interview” was 6,504 viewers, which was smaller than the gap between first and second place. Depending on future audience trends, the competition for rankings between these two films is expected to continue.
“Detective Conan: The Murder on the 30th Floor” and “The Cat in the Hat” took fourth and fifth place, respectively. Films with diverse appeals, including “Chiikawa,” dominated the top ranks and won over audiences.
“Chiikawa” also maintained its lead in advance ticket sales. With 36,817 advance ticket buyers, it took first place. “Final Interview” followed with 20,479. The gap between the two films was 16,338, meaning “Chiikawa” secured approximately 1.8 times as many advance ticket buyers.