“Not One to Watch with Your Parents”: 19+ Korean Film Dominates Box Office 7 Days Straight

A Word-of-Mouth Sensation in Week Two

On April 22, Yadang: The Snitch drew 91,360 moviegoers, surpassing even its opening day numbers and setting a new personal best. As of April 23, the film has accumulated 962,096 total admissions, inching closer to the 1 million milestone. This rare second-week surge—called a “dog-husked rice” effect (개싸라기 현상) in the Korean film industry—is often a sign of long-term box office success. Previous box office giants like 12.12: The Day and Exhuma showed similar patterns.

Impressively, Yadang: The Snitch is thriving in what is traditionally considered a slow season for Korean cinemas. Despite facing stiff competition from high-profile releases like The Holy Night: Demon Hunters, Minecraft: The Movie, and Broken People, it reclaimed the No.1 spot in real-time bookings.

As of 8:25 AM KST on April 23, Yadang: The Snitch leads ticket preorders with over 51,000, followed by Demon Hunters (50K), Minecraft: The Movie (45K), and Broken People (40K)

Viewers Applaud—and Advise Caution

With a high 9.19 audience score on Naver, Yadang: The Snitch is being lauded for its intense pacing and gripping narrative.

Comments include:

“One of the best movies I’ve seen this year.”

“I completely lost track of time.”

“It might even be better than The Outlaws.”

But viewers also warn:

“Some scenes are very uncomfortable—don’t watch this with your parents.”

Kang Ha-neul’s Star Turn

Actor Kang Ha-neul is drawing rave reviews for his subtle and powerful portrayal of a complex anti-hero.

One viewer praised, “The way he changes his tone and pacing depending on who he’s speaking to—it’s masterful.”

Another said, “His performance is pure dopamine. We need more crime thrillers like this in theaters.”

Co-stars Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-joon round out the trio, earning equal praise for their chemistry and emotional depth, elevating the film’s intensity.

What’s Yadang: The Snitch About?

Directed by Hwang Byung-gook, the film centers on three men:

A secretive broker (or “snitch”) who sells drug intel to authorities for profit

A prosecutor climbing Korea’s justice system by any means necessary

A relentless detective determined to bring down the entire drug network

Their intersecting ambitions collide in a violent, high-stakes cat-and-mouse game across Korea’s underworld.

Can It Break Even?

With a budget of ₩13 billion (~$9.4 million USD), Yadang: The Snitch needs to reach roughly 2.5 million admissions to break even. Currently, it’s just shy of the 1 million mark—but if word-of-mouth momentum continues, profitability is within reach.

Its steady climb in week two already surpasses the typical box office trajectory for Korean films and may hint at Yadang: The Snitch becoming one of this year’s breakout R-rated hits.

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