A scene from"Hijacking" that was released on Friday. Still from "Hijacking"

For years, the unwritten rule in Korean cinema was to release films on Wednesdays. However, this tradition is gradually fading.

The movie "Hijacking," starring Ha Jung-woo, Yeo Jin-goo, Sung Dong-il, and Chae Soo-bin, was released on a Friday, marking a shift in the industry's approach.

Until the 1990s, most movies premiered on Saturdays. The shift to a five-day workweek and the designation of cultural days influenced the move to Wednesday releases.

However, this norm is losing its grip. In February, the box-office hit "Exhuma" broke records with a Thursday release.

Similarly, "Taro" and "Hijacking" were released on May 14 and May 21, respectively, both on Fridays.

The team behind "Hijacking" cited market diversification as their motive.

An official from Sony Pictures Entertainment Korea said, "We chose a Friday release to diversify the market. By aligning the release with the expanding weekend market, we aimed to maximize audience engagement."

Although the film "Killing Romance" didn't achieve box-office success, it also opted for a Friday release last year, aiming to align with the trend of streaming platforms releasing new content on Fridays.

"Night Fishing" is a short film with a runtime of 12 minutes and 59 seconds and a ticket price of 1,000 won ($0.7). Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

A double-edged sword

Another recent film, "Night Fishing," featuring Son Suk-ku, premiered on Friday, June 14. Initially scheduled for limited weekend screenings, it garnered such interest that it was extended to weekdays and is now considering further extensions into the third and fourth weeks.

With a runtime of 12 minutes and 59 seconds and a ticket price of just 1,000 won ($0.7), this "snack movie" has attracted significant attention.

A CGV official commented on "Night Fishing," saying, "We aimed for Friday-to-Sunday screenings to attract more viewers. Given its short runtime, we believed audiences would pair it with other content. Hence, we focused on the weekend when more people are likely to visit theaters."

As the Wednesday release rule fades, many films choose release dates that best fit their strategies.

However, this approach can be a double-edged sword. A movie industry official said, "Word of mouth is crucial these days. A Friday release can either boost weekend performance if the feedback is positive or significantly drop expected attendance if the reviews are negative. 'Hijacking' seems to have confidently chosen its release strategy despite these risks."

From an audience perspective, the flexibility to watch new releases on both Wednesdays and Fridays is a welcome change.

Films can avoid direct competition on the same release day, allowing for a more staggered and potentially successful run.

The poster for the new film "Hijacking" / Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment Korea

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.