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As "The Odyssey" nears 10 million admissions, the original epic is also enjoying strong sales at bookstores. / Courtesy of Universal Pictures

As the film "The Odyssey" edges closer to the 10-million-admissions mark, the source epic is also making waves at bookstores.

According to the Korean Film Council's Integrated Computer Network on the 18th, "The Odyssey" drew 2,312,732 moviegoers from the 14th through the 17th, the Liberation Day substitute holiday, surpassing 5 million admissions just 13 days into its run and pushing cumulative attendance to 5,163,468.

This pace of growth is five days faster than "The Man Who Lives with the King" ("Wangsanam"), which drew 16.91 million admissions this year, though one day behind director Christopher Nolan's biggest domestic hit to date, "Interstellar," which drew 10.38 million admissions in 12 days upon its 2024 release.

Alongside strong attendance growth, the film's still-dominant advance booking rate suggests it's on track to reach 10 million admissions. As of the morning of the 18th, "The Odyssey" led advance ticket sales with a 74.5% share (514,205 bookings), having held the top spot uninterrupted for two straight weeks since its release on the 5th. Rather than declining over time, its advance booking rate has continued climbing — following the same pattern typically seen in films that reach the 10-million mark.

A theater industry official said that reaching 10 million admissions requires maintaining a high advance booking rate, citing "Wangsanam" as the most recent example, whose booking rate in its fourth week actually rose into the 70% range, higher than its early weeks. The official added that given the film's high buzz, many moviegoers appear to be opting first for regular theaters rather than IMAX screens, where tickets are harder to come by, adding that viewers who see it first in regular theaters are also likely to return for repeat viewings in the pricier IMAX format, which could boost both attendance and revenue further.

"The Odyssey," Nolan's screen adaptation of Homer's epic of the same name, follows Trojan War hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) through his adventures and inner reflection during his 20-year journey home, and has grossed $1.3 billion (about 1.8337 trillion won) worldwide, including in Korea and the U.S.

Meanwhile, riding the film's popularity, translated editions of the original epic are also selling briskly at bookstores.

Korean translations including "Odysseia" (Hyundae Jisung), "The Odyssey in One Volume" (Limitless), and "Odysseia" (Eulyoo Publishing) all ranked among the top 20 daily bestsellers at Kyobo Book Centre and Yes24 on the 17th, reflecting the film's box office momentum.

                                                                                                         Cho Seong-jun