‘The Priests’ Beats Out Hollywood Films In South Korea Box Office

South Korean mystery-thriller movie “The Priests” has topped the box office, bringing in more than a million people in just three days since opening last Thursday, according to the news outlet The Korea Times.

The local film was so successful over its debut weekend that it recorded the biggest opening of November, beating out Hollywood films, including “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials,” “The Martian,” “Bridge of Spies” and “Burnt,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“The Priests” dominated 69.1 percent of the market share during the weekend of November 6 to 9, according to the Korean Film Council’s KOBIS database. The film reportedly earned a gross total of about 13 billion won ($11.3 million).

The first week of November is reportedly traditionally one of the worst for movies that hit theaters in South Korea, but “The Priests” was able to move past that trend.

The CJ Entertainment film stars Kim Yun-seok and Kang Dong-won as a priest and deacon, respectively. The characters reportedly team up for an exorcism in order to save a girl who is in danger because of a supernatural force.

The thriller’s release was a special one, as it was reportedly the first mainstream film to be released for ScreenX theaters. ScreenX is a three-screen cinema technology developed by CJ Entertainment that is only available at the company’s CGV theaters around the country.

ScreenX may have worked its magic this time by providing viewers of the mystery drama an opportunity to experience every twist and turn almost as if it were a “virtual reality.”

“In an age where users can easily download films to watch anything on HD screens, theaters are looking for a way to keep audiences coming with spectacle and immersive experiences. ScreenX is designed to give audiences a more lively experience through a panoramic view of what’s happening on screen,” explained a CGV spokesperson upon the debut of the ScreenX format in South Korea.