`Begin Again` tops 3 million viewers in 50 days

The film by director John Carney "Begin Again" has drawn over 3 million viewers in Korea after just 50 days in release.

According to Korean Film Council, the movie drew a cumulative 3.0751 million viewers as of Wednesday 11 a.m. after it was released on August 13. On Monday, the movie broke the No. 1 "diversity film" record, which has been maintained by movie "Old Partner," since 2009 with an audience of 2.934 million. "Diversity film" is a term coined in Korea to indicate indie, art-house and documentary films that are made on a low budget.

"Begin Again" is garnering an overwhelming response particularly in Korea. According to Box Office Mojo, an American movie site, the film has made 22.36 U.S. million dollars as of Sunday (U.S. time) in Korea, accounting for more than half total overseas sales of 40 million dollars and surpassing 16.14 million dollars earned in the U.S.

Its outstanding score, however, can`t be simply compared with other low-budget independent films classified as diversity films. "Begin Again" qualified as diversity movie as it was categorized as an arts movie, but production costs reached 25 million dollars and was released in 185 theaters. "Old Partners" spent 200 million won (188,080 dollars) and was opened in six theaters.