Overview

• The film sold 331,000 tickets on opening day in South Korea, capturing 63.1% of admissions, according to Kobis.
• It held 42.3% of Thursday morning ticket bookings, signaling sustained early demand after its launch.
• Viewer sentiment was uneven, with a 6.60 user score on Naver from 495 ratings, below Park’s 2022 film Decision to Leave.
• Park’s 139-minute adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’s The Ax features Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Lee Sung-min, Park Hee-soon and Yeom Hye-ran.
• In interviews, Park detailed a years-long development, a reunion with Lee after 25 years, an added AI motif not in the novel, and recent showcases at Venice and as the Busan opener.