Cyborg Just Okay

As was expected, Chan Wook Park's I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay did indeed go straight to the top of the Korean box office this last weekend - but with relatively humble ticket sales. Around 351,000 seats were filled, bringing in something like 2.1 million dollars, and compared to showings from the director's previous films this represents quite a slow burn beginning.

Sadly, it's doubtful that the film will end up enjoying the same kind of monstrous box office enjoyed by JSA and Oldboy, nor in fact, the same kind of international profile. Romantic comedies set around asylums can be rather hard sells - whereas bloody revenge, military investigations, curious mysteries and shocking violence can pretty much be depended upon to appeal in certain quarters.

I'm still hoping that the Chan Wook Park name is enough to convince Tartan to give the film the big push it needs here in the UK and across the US, but more than any of his recent revenge trilogy, I dare say they'll be aiming more for a risk-free DVD success than letting it all ride at the theatrical box office for too long with Cyborg.