Queen Myungsung, Rembrandt Were Hot Tickets During Chuseok Holidays

Theaters and art museums were busy during the Chuseok holidays. Korean musical `Queen Myungsung,` which made its Broadway and Westend debut in the U.S. and Britain respectively, sold many tickets during the holidays. And Hollywood and Chungmuro blockbusters clashed head on in movie theaters across the country.

`Rembrandt and the 17th Dutch Painting` presently held in Deoksu Palace Art Museum also lured a number of art lovers. Hollywood movies and domestic dramas were popular TV programs.

▽Shows and Exhibitions = `Queen Myungsung` was still strong. The musical staged in the Arts Hall in Seocho-dong, Seoul from Sept. 10 through 12, sold 6,913 tickets for four stage performances. An average number of spectators were 1,733 per performance. According to A-com International, the organizer of the show, 91.1% of tickets, except those set for the handicapped, were sold out. It is rare for a large-scale stage performance to lure such a number of spectators.

`Problematic Being, Yeonsan` staged by the National Theater also recorded 80% of ticket sales during the same period, luring more than 1,200 spectators.

`Rembrandt and the 17th Dutch Painting` also drew many art lovers during the holidays. For five days from Sept. 10 through 14, it sold 15,000 tickets, or 3,000 a day. ˝The number is impressive compared to other exhibition that sell some 800 tickets during weekdays and 2,000 on weekend,˝ said Choi Eun-ju, director at Deoksu Palace Art Museum.

▽Movies = Korean family comedy `Oh! Brothers` was the winner of the holiday competition. According to ticket sales estimates tallied by film distributors, the movie sold 129,000 tickets on Sept. 13 and 14, jumping to the No. 1 spot followed by `The Pirates of the Caribbean and `My Wife is Gangster,` which sold 100,000 and 97,000 respectively.

`Oh! Brothers` also led the accumulative sales in Seoul area, selling 500,000 since the Sept. 5 release. `My Wife is Gangster` and `The Pirates of the Caribbean` ranked 2nd and 3rd with 480,000 and 450,000.

The ranking was a source of contention, according to Buena Vista Korea, distributor of ` The Pirates of the Caribbean,` which argues that it sold 180,000 in Seoul on weekend and 610,000 in Seoul since the release. If the claim finds to be true, ` The Pirates of the Caribbean` was the winner in box office competition during the holidays. Yet, CJ Entertainment, distributor of `My Wife is Gangster` points out that the 80,000 difference for two days is far-fetched given the number of people living in Seoul, suggesting that companies disclose ticket sales numbers.

▽TV = `Wedding Preparations,` a KBS 2 Chuseok special drama aired at 9:40 p.m. on Sept. 12, recorded the highest viewer rate at 16.8% among holiday programs. SBS drama `Pajui Mother` ranked 7th. Dramas were relative success this year compared to previous years when special dramas all ranked below top 20.

Still, Hollywood movies were favorite items during the Chuseok holidays. According to viewer rating research firm TNS Media Korea, `The Lord of the Ring` (KBS2, 9:40 p.m. on Sept. 10), `Mission Impossible` (MBC, 10:00 p.m. on Sept. 10), `Charlie`s Angels` (SBS, 9:50 p.m. on Sept. 14) and `Sorim Soccer` (KBS2, 9:40 p.m. on Sept. 11) ranked 2nd through 5th.

Show and entertainment programs `Fun Match` (KBS2, 6:40 p.m. on Sept. 12), `Challenge! 1000 Songs` (SBS, 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 14) and `Big Stars` Behind Scenes` (KBS2, 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 10) were on 6th, 8th and 10th respectively.