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Korea Herald

'The Pact' taps former first lady's controversies for box office surprise

Political thriller outperforms Hollywood blockbuster despite limited release On the eve of South Korea's presidential election, an unlikely contender has made waves at the box office. "The Pact" — a darkly provocative occult thriller — claimed second place in nationwide ticket sales Monday, an unexpected showing for a low-budget production with a partisan political agenda. According to the Korean Film Council's latest box office data, "The Pact" drew 60,140 viewers on its opening day Monday, narrowly edging out $400 million Hollywood juggernaut "Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning" (59,953 admissions) and trailing only the homegrown comedy "Hi-Five" (75,614 admissions). These numbers were despite the film's relatively limited theatrical release: Just 1,296 screenings on 536 screens nationwide, roughly a third of its competitors. "The Pact" follows an ambitious woman named Ji-hee (Kim Gyu-ri) who climbs the social ladder through plastic surgery, identity fraud and dark rituals to eventually set her sights on controlling the entire country. Whether directly stated or not, audiences swiftly made the connection to Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose impeachment following his shock Dec. 3 martial law declaration led to Tuesday's snap presidential election. Allegations of the couple's involvement with shamanistic practices have dogged them since the earliest days of Yoon's political ascent — from the Chinese character for "king" mysteriously appearing on Yoon's palm during televised debates to their controversial decision to abandon the Blue House in Seoul for a new presidential office about 6 kilometers south. Suspicions swriled throughout Yoon's tenure that spiritual advisers introduced by the first lady were pulling strings behind the scenes in major policy decisions. The film's Korean title, "Shinmyung," is the most glaring reference: It's Kim's given birth name (Myung-shin) backwards. The former first lady legally changed her name to Keon Hee in 2008. The nature of the production also points to the work's political intent. The film was bankrolled by progressive YouTube channel Openmind TV, which has faced multiple defamation lawsuits from public figures, and lost on one occasion. While producers claim their story draws from verified investigative reporting, the clearly fictionalized story frequently veers into unsubstantiated territory, depicting graphic shamanistic rituals taking place in the presidential office — scenarios for which no concrete evidence exists. "The Pact" is not the first purported expose on the former first lady to hit theaters. In December last year, documentary "The First Lady," exploring corruption allegations surrounding Kim, sold 84,888 tickets in its theatrical run — an impressive figure for low-budget independent cinema.