Ma Dong Seok, Son Seok Koo’s ‘The Roundup’ Remains Unbeatable in the Box Office
"The Roundup," starring Ma Dong Seok, Son Seok Koo, and Choi Gwi Hwa continues its reign in the box office after hitting another milestone.
The Korean action-comedy, which is a sequel to the smash hit 2017 film "The Outlaws," has remained to gain millions of moviegoers since it premiered on the big screen.
Released on May 18, "The Roundup" hit its 1 million mark just a day after release.
Variety also cited that the second installment gained "$21.1 million from 2,500 screens nationwide," as noted by KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
Now, more than two weeks from its release, the second installment reached another achievement.
'The Roundup' Hailed as the Most-Watched Movie in 2022
As cited by the Korea Herald, the Korean Film Council noted that Ma Dong Seok and Son Seok Koo's new movie has remained in first place at the box office for two consecutive weeks, garnering 6.5 million moviegoers since its debut.
With the continued reign on the big screen, "The Roundup" has become the most-watched film in 2022 to date.
READ MORE: Ma Dong Seok Honors THIS Late Veteran Actor As 'The Roundup' Hits 5 Million Moviegoers
Interestingly, the Korean movie even beat the Hollywood film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen, raking 5.75 million since its theatrical release.
In addition, the action-comedy movie has set the highest opening of a Korean movie since the 2019 award-winning film "Parasite" directed by Bong Joon Ho.
Is 'The Roundup' Worth Watching?
As mentioned, "The Roundup" is the second installment to "The Outlaws," released in 2019.
Ma Dong Seok reprised his role as the monster detective named Ma Suk Do.
After four years, he is set to chase down a ferocious killer led by the new villain Gang Hae Sang, played by Son Seok Koo, who is in hiding in Vietnam.
Joining the duo is Choi Gwi Hwa as Chief Jeon, while Kim Seung Hyun plays Korean gangster Avatar.
Apart from the overwhelming response of the viewers, critics also gave "The Roundup" positive remarks as Ma Song Deok's movie scored 4 out of 5 in South China Morning Post's review.
The outlet noted that "The Roundup" "steps up to deliver a freight train of unstoppable entertainment" through "Ma's undeniable star power."
The movie also scored 7.5 on IMDB, a famous movie and TV rating and review website.
Apart from the storyline, fans also lauded Son Seok Koo's transformation as the villain.
From being the beloved Mr. Gu in "My Liberation Notes," the actor managed to become a ruthless criminal in "The Roundup."
The actor had a virtual interview to talk about his role and the success of "The Roundup."
As obtained by a media outlet, Son Seok Koo revealed that he gained 10KG to portray Gang Hae Sang.
The versatile star shared that he pigged out to bulk up as he wanted to achieve a "realistic body."
"But I worked out like crazy, lifting heavy things. But it was nice that I got to eat all that I wanted. It was totally fine to have a swollen face, so I ate before sleeping and before shooting," he explained.
Following this, Son Seok Koo is set to headline the cast of "Casino" with Lee Dong Hwi, and "Squid Game" cast Heo Sung Tae and Kim Joo Ryoung.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Son Seok Koo Wants to Be Remembered as Mr. Gu Than His Role in 'The Roundup'
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Written by Geca Wills
