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"Spider-Man: Brand New Day," Hollywood's flagship superhero franchise, drew 680,000 moviegoers on its opening day, setting the highest opening-day record among all domestic and international films released this year and last. / Courtesy of Sony Pictures

"Spider-Man," returning after five years, got off to a powerful start, setting the highest opening-day attendance record among all domestic and international films released this year and last.

According to the Korean Film Council's Integrated Computer Network on the 30th, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" drew 687,166 moviegoers on its opening day and topped the daily box office. This opening-day figure more than doubles the previous best opening scores for this year and last — "Zootopia 2" (309,168) and "Hope" (333,887) — and also surpasses the opening scores of the previous trilogy's installments: "…Homecoming" (540,000), "…Far From Home" (670,000), and "…No Way Home" (630,000).

As of the morning of the 30th, "…Brand New Day" also leads advance ticket sales with a 68.1% share (751,323 tickets), far outpacing "The Odyssey" (15.6%, 172,594) and "Hope" (6.4%, 71,142). Theater industry officials expect that if this momentum continues, "…Brand New Day" should comfortably surpass 3 million admissions in its opening weekend, barring any major surprises.

Starring Tom Holland in the title role for a fourth consecutive film and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," "…Brand New Day" follows Peter Parker, who lost his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in saving humanity and now lives a lonely life as a masked hero, forgotten by loved ones like MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). He faces a dire crisis when he encounters a mysterious being capable of controlling others' minds.

Meanwhile, "Hope" is expected to struggle this weekend as its daily attendance and advance ticket sales have plunged amid the double pressure from "…Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey," compounded by controversy over lead actor Hwang Jung-min's personal conduct. "Hope," which opened on the 15th, has drawn 3,707,168 admissions as of the 29th.

                                                                                                          Cho Seong-jun