South Korean Films Suspected of Box Office Fraud Under Investigation

According to Sina Entertainment, dozens of South Korean films are suspected of engaging in box office fraud, leading the police to launch an expanded investigation.

Yesterday, four films were investigated for suspected fraud, namely 'Emergency Declaration,' 'Idle Mountain,' 'Rain and Your Story,' and 'Hot Blood.' Today, it was discovered that dozens of other films are also suspected of fraudulent activities. These include ghost screenings during late-night hours as well as manipulating numbers by pre-purchasing tickets and later refunding them.

In the past, the disaster film 'Declaration of Emergency,' starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, and Bae Doona, faced allegations of box office fraud when online users revealed a significant number of sold-out screenings in the early hours, raising suspicions.

Yesterday, the South Korean police conducted searches at cinemas such as CGV, Lotte, and Megabox, as well as film distributors Showbox, Lotte Cultureworks, and Kidari ENT. It is reported that the cinemas and distributors are suspected of exaggerating audience numbers and fabricating box office rankings. The cinemas and production companies involved have acknowledged the investigation but are currently unable to comment.