Park Chan-wook's latest film draws over 300,000 on opening day

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Director Park Chan-wook's latest film "No Other Choice" attracted over 331,000 moviegoers on its opening day, instantly climbing to the top spot at the box office.

The Korean Film Council on Thursday said the thriller starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin topped the box office upon its release the previous day, setting the highest opening record among his previous hits like "Decision to Leave" in 2022 and "The Handmaiden" in 2016.

Park's 12th feature, an adaptation of American writer Donald E. Westlake's novel "The Ax," revolves around a man who believes he has achieved everything in life until he is suddenly laid off and must find a new job to support his family.

It also served as the curtain-raiser for this year's Busan International Film Festival in the southern port city, which wraps up on Friday.

Riding on the hype, the film is expected to continue to draw hordes of moviegoers, as it was released in time for this year's long Chuseok holiday, which begins next week.