Korean films hit a yearly record in sales and audience numbers last month, driven largely by the success of the crime action blockbuster “I, the Executioner,” data showed Thursday.

The total sales of Korean films reached 81 billion won (US$59.2 million) in September, with over 8.12 million viewers, according to a monthly report by the Korean Film Commission.

Korean films claimed more than 80 percent of total ticket sales, marking a record high for the year. Compared with last year, sales surged 77.7 percent.

“I, the Executioner,” released Sept. 13, drew over 6.49 million viewers by the end of the month, setting a new box-office record for Korean films released during the Chuseok holiday.

Other standout trends include the live performance film “Lim Young-woong: I Am Hero — The Stadium,” which documented the trot singer’s concert at World Cup Stadium in western Seoul in May. The film set a box-office record for its genre, earning 8.7 billion won.

Its high revenue is attributed to its premium ticket prici
ng and screenings in special theaters like IMAX and Screen X, which made up over 66 percent of its showings.

Also notable is the success of the local animated film “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love,” which surpassed 1 million admissions by mid-September.

Released Aug. 14, the movie is a cinematic adaptation of the popular children’s animation “Catch! Teenieping.” It became the second most-watched Korean animated film in history with a total audience of 1.15 million, following “Leafie: A Hen Into the Wild” (2011) with 2.2 million viewers.

In contrast, foreign films delivered lackluster performances, generating 19.1 billion won in sales and attracting 1.98 million viewers, largely due to a lack of major hits.

Source: Yonhap News Agency