Category: Entertainment

Japan remains one of the world’s most insular television format markets, exporting globally successful unscripted hits while importing almost no foreign concepts, according to data presented by Virginia Mouseler, CEO of The WIT, during the “Fresh TV: Japan” session at Mip London.

Using the company’s real-time tracking database, Mouseler said Japan currently ranks as the world’s seventh-largest exporter of formats, “at the same level as South Korea,” even as it adapts very little international IP.

WIT’s Top Formats tool showed Japanese-origin “Dragon’s Den” continuing to rank among the most widely adapted unscripted formats globally over the past year, alongside international hits including “The Floor,” “The A Talks” and “The Traitors.”

Among Japanese formats themselves, the most adapted unscripted titles over the past 12 months include “Dragon’s Den,” “LOL,” “Freeze” and the long-running game show “Run for Money,” highlighting the export strength of high-concept entertainment formats built around simple game mechanics.

At the same time, Japan remains highly resistant to importing foreign formats. According to WIT data, only two international formats were adapted locally over the past year, compared with none the year before.

One of those imports was the South Korean relationship competition “Wedding Wars,” based on CJ ENM’s “Wedding Fighters,” which premiered on streaming platform Abema in April. The other was a reboot of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” returning to Japanese television 26 years after its first local version.

Mouseler noted that Japan has “a long, long tradition of importing no formats,” with the country currently ranking 15th globally as a format importer.

Much local activity instead revolves around revivals and reinventions of homegrown IP, including the recent reboot of the classic game show “Challenges on Fire,” which returned three decades after its original run.

The presentation also highlighted a new generation of Japanese entertainment formats centered on visually driven physical mechanics and social-strategy gameplay, including hybrid deduction formats, endurance-based competition shows such as “Cash or Splash,” and Nippon TV’s rotating-stage challenge format “Turn” (“Mawase”), underscoring Japan’s continued focus on highly visual, easily exportable game concepts.

“Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler has said that Alan Cumming’s “throw away apology” over the N-word being shouted during the BAFTA Film Awards made the situation “worse.”

“I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words,” Beachler, who was nominated for an award, posted on X after the ceremony. “The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.”

She continued: “And a third time at a Black woman. I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended’ at the end of the show. Of course we were offended…but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened. I am not steal [sic], this did not bounce off of me, but I exist above it. It can’t take away from who I am as an artist.”

Beachler was understood to be referring to a number of outbursts by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson, whose life inspired the BAFTA-nominated biopic “I Swear.”

As well as shouting out the word “fuck” multiple times during speeches, including “shut the fuck up” during BAFTA chair Sara Putt’s introduction to the ceremony, he was also heard shouting the n-word when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented “Avatar: Fire and Ash” with the award for best visual effects.

BAFTAs host Alan Cumming made two statements about Davidson’s outburst during the ceremony, the first explaining that the “strong language in the background” can be a symptom of Tourette’s for some people and thanking the audience for their “understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

He later added: “Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

Despite the ceremony airing with a two-hour delay on BBC One in the U.K. and E! in the U.S., the slur was not cut from the broadcast.

“I Swear” went on to win a number of awards during the evening, including one for actor Robert Aramayo who beat out Jordan as well as Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke to take home the leading man statue for his portrayal of Davidson, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s at the age of 25 after years of outbursts.

Before the ceremony began a floor manager, who addressed the audience to issue a number of notices regarding things such as fire safety protocol, flagged that Davidson was in the audience and that he has “Tourette’s Syndrome so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.”

I keep trying to write about what happened at the BAFTAs, and I can’t find the words. The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.

— HannahBeachler (@HannahEBeachler) February 23, 2026

After winning the BAFTA Film Award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer, “My Father’s Shadow” helmer Akinola Davies Jr. ended his speech by saying “free Palestine.” However, these words were then cut from his speech when the ceremony aired two hours later on the BBC.

Towards the end of Davies Jr.’s speech during the taping of the awards — and in one of the only politically-charged moments of the show — he said: “To the economic migrant, the conflict migrant, those under occupation, dictatorship, persecution and those experiencing genocide, you matter and your stories matter more than ever. Your dreams are an act of resistance. To those watching at home, archive your loved ones, archive your stories yesterday, today and forever. For Nigeria, for London, Congo, Sudan, free Palestine. Thank you.”

But this part was entirely cut from the show’s broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, with only the first section of Davies Jr.’s speech — in which he thanks his family and brother and co-screenwriter Wale Davies — making it to air. “My Father’s Shadow,” which was submitted as the U.K.’s official Oscar entry for best international feature, follows two brothers who attend a family reunion in Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election and witness their father’s daily struggles.

Representatives for the BBC and Davies Jr. did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

There are always cuts made to the BBC broadcast of the awards as the ceremony is edited from three hours down to two, but Davies Jr.’s “free Palestine” not airing sparked particular outrage as several outbursts during the taping — including the N-word — did.

Tourette’s advocate John Davidson — who inspired “I Swear,” which won star Robert Aramayo the best actor BAFTA — was in attendance at the ceremony, and the audience was warned of potential outbursts including strong language. However, when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took the stage to present the first award for special visual effects, he shouted the N-word, causing controversy.

BAFTAs host Alan Cumming addressed this during the ceremony, saying: “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

In a second statement later on, Cumming added that “Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

However, the moment — and the BBC’s decision to keep the N-word in the tape-delayed broadcast — resulted in widespread debate on social media, with disability advocates reminding viewers that Davidson has no control over the remarks, while others still deemed the airing of the racial slur unacceptable.

The rapid rise of Korean drama in Europe is entering a new phase, shifting from streaming success toward local adaptation and co-development, executives said during a Mip London session examining the genre’s growing regional impact.

Speaking at “The Rise of K-Drama in Europe,” Jinhee Lee, marketing manager at CJ ENM, said Korean series have seen “a very clear rise, not just in global visibility, but in actual regional performance, as a strong and sustained engagement within individual markets as well.”

Joining Lee on the panel were Diane Min, head of Europe sales at CJ ENM, and Claire Takami Siljedahl, development producer at Fifth Season U.K., the international studio jointly owned by Korea’s CJ ENM, Japan’s Toho Co. and U.S. investment firm Neuberger Berman.

As an example of the genre’s momentum, Lee cited CJ ENM drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” which ranked in Netflix’s Top 10 across more than 10 European territories and remained in the chart for up to seven consecutive weeks in countries including Portugal, Romania and Greece.

Min said the global success of “Squid Game” in 2021 “literally changed everything,” helping make Korean dramas more accessible to audiences worldwide. She noted that a total of 210 Korean dramas from multiple broadcasters and studios have reached Netflix’s Top 10 chart over the past five years.

Europe has become a key expansion territory, Min said, with more than 30 Korean drama titles now available on Prime Video in the U.K., while CJ ENM has also launched Korean series on major French broadcasters.

Siljedahl said the appeal of Korean dramas lies in their originality and genre blending. “The concepts are so original… a lot of genre mashups, which is really exciting,” she said, noting that many story ideas feel unlike those typically developed in Western markets.

She also pointed to adaptation challenges, including cultural differences and tonal adjustments. Attitudes to sex, heightened emotional storytelling and culturally specific elements often require modification to resonate with U.K. audiences while preserving the original feel of the IP, she said.

The session highlighted titles gaining traction in Europe, including “Lovely Runner,” which has expanded on Prime Video into multiple territories, and the upcoming CJ ENM series “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier,” a military-set drama with a cooking twist that will premiere at Series Mania.

Panelists said adaptation activity is accelerating as producers seek to translate Korean IP into English-language versions. Siljedahl noted that Fifth Season is currently developing multiple remakes and has selected the erotic revenge thriller “Eve” for adaptation in part because of its strong local and global performance.

Min said CJ ENM’s strategy now extends beyond distribution toward producing Korean stories in multiple languages through partnerships with international companies.

Looking ahead, panelists said the next stage of K-drama growth in Europe will be driven by closer collaboration between Korean producers and international companies. As Siljedahl said, “there are lots of exciting ways to work together,” including developing original concepts designed for global audiences from the outset.

This cannot be overstated: BAFTA and the BBC failed us all.

During the 79th BAFTA Film Awards, host Alan Cumming paused the ceremony to thank the audience for its “understanding” after a series of audible outbursts from Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson interrupted the show.

One of those outbursts — heard while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage — included the N-word.

Davidson, who was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at 25 and whose experiences inspired the BAFTA-nominated film “I Swear,” lives with tics that can include involuntary vocal outbursts. Addressing the room, Cumming said, “You may have noticed some strong language in the background there. This can be part of how Tourette syndrome shows up for some people, as the film explores that experience.”

If you felt uncomfortable watching it, you’re not alone. If you felt heartbroken, you’re not alone. If you felt angry, confused or unsure what to say, you’re not alone there, either.

But before declarations are made, before sides are chosen and hashtags are weaponized, a baseline point has to be stated plainly: The primary failure here rests with BAFTA and the BBC.

This was a tape-delayed broadcast. They still allowed the slur to air, unfiltered, and then let the moment circulate as a clip — stripped of context and primed for outrage. That decision poured gasoline on an already volatile situation.

But you know what they did manage to cut out of the broadcast? Akinola Davies Jr. saying “Free Palestine” during his speech for winning outstanding British debut for “My Father’s Shadow.”

In an Instagram clip shared by BBC News of Paul Thomas Anderson’s best director speech for “One Battle After Another,” he says “anyone that says movies aren’t any good anymore can just piss right off,” with “piss” bleeped out for social media. The clip that was shared on the BAFTA and BBC YouTube pages removed the sentence entirely.

How does that measure up? How can the N-word go out freely without consequence?

A BBC spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards 2026. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologize for any offense caused by the language heard.”

NBC News also reported that the broadcast that aired in the U.S. on E! did not appear to bleep the slur out either.

BBC, BAFTA and Versant have not immediately responded to Variety‘s requests for comment.

As a father raising a child with disabilities — a kid who can sometimes script language from videos he’s watched — what I saw unfold is the situation that parents like me fear most. We want our children included in spaces considered “normal,” especially when their lived experience is being honored on a stage like this — when a story that reflects them is nominated and celebrated. But when involuntary behavior is handled carelessly, it deepens isolation, the shame they feel and the sense of being othered.

This is where education matters.

Coprolalia is an involuntary, tic-like outburst of obscene, taboo or socially inappropriate words and phrases. It affects a minority of individuals with Tourette syndrome. Estimates vary widely, but when it happens, it is not a conscious choice. It is not intentional — an ideology or an endorsement. It is a neurological event.

Prior to the start of the ceremony, floor managers warned guests and attendees sitting around Davidson of his condition, without specifying what kinds of outbursts they might hear. According to multiple sources, none of the nominees or attendees were contacted by BAFTA or BBC ahead of the show with any such warnings.

But I’m not only a father. I’m also a Black and Puerto Rican man living in this world. The N-word is not merely “strong language.” It is a brutal slur tied to enslavement, violence and dehumanization, and it is still weaponized today. For Black artists — particularly the two Black actors standing on a global stage — hearing it in that setting, and then watching it be broadcast into homes, turned into a meme and shared on social media, carries a weight that does not disappear simply because the source lacked intent.

Both realities can coexist.

The world needs more understanding of Tourette’s and neurological differences. It needs compassion and patience. But accommodation does not mean the absence of guardrails. You can create space for people with disabilities while also building systems that protect them and everyone around them.

That’s where BAFTA and the BBC failed.

The responsibility was not on Davidson. It was not on Jordan. It was not on Lindo. It was not on the audience that was left frozen in discomfort. And it’s not on the people on social media who watched the 11-second clip and came to a conclusion.

It is on the institutions that produced and broadcast the ceremony.

With a tape delay, this moment could have been handled differently. The audio could have been muted in the broadcast. The segment could have been edited. A producer could have made a real-time call that prioritized harm reduction. Instead, the slur went out. And now it lives online — free to be clipped, circulated, divorced from explanation and used as shorthand outrage. Or worse, it can be used to spread hate.

That decision harmed in multiple ways.

It disrespected Jordan and Lindo, who were forced to absorb the ugliest word in Black history in front of a crowd and cameras. It exposed Davidson — and, by extension, the Tourette’s community — to a tidal wave of backlash rooted in misunderstanding. It handed bad-faith actors a weapon to swing at both Black viewers and disabled people.

These institutions are supposed to anticipate this type of complexity. Awards shows employ producers and compliance teams because unpredictability is part of live television. When unpredictability intersects with race, disability and trauma, preparation is essential.

What makes it especially painful is that “I Swear” exists, in part, to educate audiences about Tourette’s. The irony is crushing that a film intended to foster understanding is now tethered to a viral controversy. The painful moment that emerged on Sunday required more than a brief, gracious clarification from BAFTA host Cumming.

And the public’s comments have revealed something else: People are speaking with certainty about conditions they do not understand. Disability advocacy demands empathy, and racial history demands reverence. These are not competing values, and we don’t have to choose one over another to exist. They are coexisting obligations.

The path forward is not for us to hunt for a villain. It’s to demand that our institutions do better. Edit responsibly, prepare thoughtfully, protect proactively and educate consistently. Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, John Davidson, the Tourette’s community and Black people deserved better.

“The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, twinned in Maya with “Back to Life” writer-star Daisy Haggard making her directorial debut, Bond pic star Gemma Arterton, “I Will Destroy You’s” Paapa Essiedu and Robyn Malcolm, a 2024 Series Mania best actress winner for “After the Party,” all feature on All3Media International lineup, set for presentation  on Thursday at the 2026 London TV Screenings.   

Behind the camera talent on new shows takes in “Lupin” and “Skins” co-creators George Kay and Brian Elsley, as well as Oscar winner James Marsh.

The full force of A3Media International scripted lineup is only felt, however, by taking in returning drama which includes international sales hits “The Assassin” with Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore, “All Creatures Great and Small,”and the final iteration of Daniel Lawrence-Taylor’s “Boarders,” a comedy-drama questioning the arcane dysfunctionality of Britain’s elite education.

All3Media International will also be talking up Season 4 of the Vicky McClure-starring “Trigger Point” from Jed Mercurio’s HTM Television, Series 12 of New Zealand’s series “The Brokenwood Mysteries” and Season 26 Bentley Productions’ “Midsomer Murders.” 

“Whether buyers are looking for all-star thrillers, fresh new dramas or the next instalments from ratings-winning favourites, our showcase on Thursday afternoon at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square is guaranteed to be a hot ticket event,” commented Louise Pedersen, All3Media International CEO, of its scripted lineup. 

A drill-down on new titles: 

“Maya”

Bella Ramsey and Daisy Haggard join their formidable forces playing headstrong daughter and devoted mother forced into witness protection in rural Scotland. The dangerous figure they’re still running from is a looming threat, however. A propulsive psychological thriller, exploring predatory male behaviour, family and the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, says All3Media. Two Brothers Pictures, behind “The Tourist” and now “Assassins,” produce the six-part series for Channel 4, created and co-directed by Haggard and also starring Tobias Menzies (“The Crown”), Harriet Walter (“Succession”) and Tom Courtenay (“Unforgotten”). 

“Careless” 

Interrogating power, intimacy, trust and generational divides, says All3Media, a character-driven thriller promising top-notch performances from stars Solly McLeod (“House of the Dragon”), Robyn Malcolm (“After the Party”) and Richard Roxburgh (“Rake”). McLeod plays a Scottish backpacker in Australia’s Sydney determining to become carer for bad boy rock’n’roll legend Mike. He gets the gig but may place Mike (Roxburgh) and wife Angela (Malcolm) in grave danger. Made for Australia’s Stan and the U.K’s Channel 4 and created by Helen Fitzgerald (“The Cry”) and Louise Fox (“Broadchurch”) for Easy Tiger Productions (“Colin From Accounts”) and “The Tattoo of Auschwitz” maker Synchronicity Films.

“Counsels” 

From “Skins” co-creator Bryan Elsley and Gillian McCormack, a Glasgow-set BBC legal drama, part of the Beeb’s biggest recent single recent investment in drama in Scotland, catching young hotshot law students as they choose their different career paths, whether public prosectors, big business counsels or pro bono lawyers. “As they face their biggest professional challenges yet and their relationships are tested to destruction, now’s the time things are going to catch fire,” says All3Media Intl. A newer and younger-gen way into legal drama, from Balloon Ent., with ZDF on board as an early anchor co-production partner.    

“Gone” 

The latest from “Lupin” creator George Kay with a long prestige C.V., taking in Apple TV hit “Hijack.” When his wife disappears, the reputation of Michael Polly (David Morrissey), until then a highly respected headmaster of an elite high-school, begins to fall apart. As Detective Annie Cassidy (Eve Myles, “Keeping the Faith”) investigates, “Gone” lifts off as a high-stakes cat and mouse between the hard-charging Cassidy and Polly, who likes to keep his own counsel. Bound for ITV and ITVX for a March bow, a “story about privilege and prejudice,” says Kay. “The truth is tantalisingly close. Or at least, that’s what Annie thinks,” he teases. Kay’s Observatory Pictures, backed by All3Media, produces with New Pictures.  

“Saviour”

Led by Aidan Gillen (“Game of Thrones”), Anjli Mohindra (“Bodyguard”), and Shaun Parkes (“Mangrove”), Ben, a medical student gets into an altercation resulting in a man’s death. His recently promoted criminal defence attorney (Mohindra) faces a Detective Inspector (Parkes) determined to get to the truth, despite his colleague (Gillen) being ruthlessly intent on clearing his son’s name. A potentially involving ITV legal drama from Nisha Parti’s indie Parti Productions (“The Boy With the Topknot”) and Drama Republic (“Steal,” “One Day”), written by Imran Mahmood, a full-time criminal barrister, and exec produced by “Your Honor” writer Peter Moffat.

“Secret Service”

Headlined by Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”) as a senior MI6 officer, directed by Oscar winner James Marsh, and described as a “sophisticated” “fast-paced, globe trotting” cinematic espionage thriller. Set in the new Cold War it has Arterton’s Kate Henderson racing against time to expose a top British politician who may have been turned by the Russians. Produced by Potboiler for ITV. Cast also includes Rafe Spall, Mark Stanley, Alex Kingston, Roger Allam, Amaka Okafur and Khalid Abdalla.

“Babies”

Billed as a “poignant new drama” created, written and directed by sitcom BAFTA winner Stefan Golaszewski (“Him & Her” and “Mum”) for BBC iPlayer and BBC One and pairing “I Will Destroy You’s” Paapa Essiedu and Siobhán Cullen (“Bodkin,” “Obituary”) as a couple battling pregnancy loss. Produced by Snowed-In Productions and The Money Men Studios, “Babies” “has everything we love about Stefan Golaszewski’s work – a tender, authentic, emotional and human look at couples navigating a time in their lives that is rarely covered on television,”  BBC Drama Director Lindsay Salt has said.  

Unscripted Lineup 

Announced earlier in February, All3Media’s 50-hour of unscripted programming lineup is powered by celebrity-led headline docuseries on Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson. These are other highlights:   

“Michael Jackson: The Trial”

Bowing on Channel 4 on Feb. 4 the four-episode story of Jackson’s 2005 trial for the alleged sexual molestation of a young boy, Gavin Arvizo. “Channel 4’s latest series triumphs in collating accounts from both sides, plus featuring unheard-before recordings of Jackson from 2000 and 2001,” The Guardian said in its four-star review, calling the doc-series “troubling.” “If you told me right now … ‘Michael, you could never see another child’ … I would kill myself,” Jackson says in one audio-clip. “Against the backdrop of the upcoming release of a biopic sponsored by the Jackson estate, the series ultimately asks: Can the King of Pop ever be cancelled?” All3Media Intl. asks.

“Taylor Swift: A Love Story”

Picking up in its title on one of Swift’s early breakout songs, “the story of the world’s biggest pop star through the loves that shaped her, her bold reinvention of pop stardom and the heartbreaks that fuelled an unprecedented cultural phenomenon” as she “transformed the diary of her life into the soundtrack of a generation”: All3Media Intl.’s take. An unseen one-hour special, brand new at the London TV Screenings and again from Lion TV.

“2.6 Seconds”  

A four-hour true crime series unspooling in Yuendumu in Australia’s central desert. Kumanjayi Walker, 18, from the Warlpiri Luritja people, is shot and killed by Zachary Rolfe, 27, a police officer. Three shots, less than three seconds apart. “Intimate, forensic and unflinching,” says All3Media, the series traces the collision of two lives, two families, and two profoundly different ideas of justice, it adds. Produced by Blackfella Films, written and produced by Darren Dale (“The Australian Wars,” “Meet the Neighbours”) and co-commissioned by SBS and NITV  with a major production investment from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department.

“The Lost Kingdom of Arabia”

From Lion TV, behind “Pompeii: The New Dig,” a doc-feature on one of history’s forgotten powers the story of Ghassan, a Christian-Arab kingdom and Roman Empire buffer state between Rome and emerging superpower Persia, its civilization peaking in the second half of the sixth century. Shot across sweeping locations with Lion TV’s trademark epic-toned storytelling, All3Media notes, the series depicts Ghassan’s cultural brilliance and sudden disappearance.

“We’re excited to unveil an unmissable new unscripted slate. Celebrity driven documentaries of the highest caliber (‘Michael Jackson: The Trial’ and ‘Taylor Swift: A Love Story’) join sweeping historical epic ‘Lost Kingdom of Arabia’ and timely true crime series ‘2.6 Seconds.’ These are bold, premium titles designed to resonate with audiences worldwide,” said Pedersen. 

“These shows sit within a wider unscripted offering that spans high-impact true crime from leading producers including DSP, Lightbox and Candor, projects fronted by fast-rising talent such as Olivia Attwood, and series led by much-loved figures like the world’s favorite gardener Monty Don. And global reality phenomenon ‘The Traitors’ continues to find faithful partners and go from strength to strength.”

Indeed, IDTV’s global format hit “The Traitors” has now hit a 40 territory commission milestone with Indonesia becoming the latest market to adapt the psychological reality competition.

Historical drama “The King’s Warden” maintained the top position at the South Korean box office during the week of Feb. 16–22, which included the peak Lunar New Year holiday period.

According to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, the film accounted for 73.76% of the revenue share during the three-day weekend portion of the holiday frame.

“The King’s Warden” earned $9.5 million from 1,414,214 admissions over the weekend. Directed by Jang Hang-jun and starring Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon, the drama – which follows a village chief’s protection of a deposed teenage king during the Joseon Dynasty – has now reached a cumulative gross of $39.1 million from 5,828,884 admissions since its Feb. 4 debut.

In second place, the espionage thriller “Humint” earned $1.7 million from 239,370 admissions over the weekend. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring Zo In-sung and Park Jeong-min, the film has reached a cumulative gross of $11 million from 1,579,018 admissions.

The musical drama “Choir of God” took third place for the weekend, adding $268,734 for a total of $8.9 million. It was followed closely by “Number One” in fourth place, which earned $277,394 over the three-day period. Based on the Japanese novel “The Number of Times You Can Eat Your Mother’s Cooking Is 328,” the film stars Choi Woo-shik as a man who can see a countdown of his remaining home-cooked meals with his mother. Its cumulative total now stands at $1.6 million.

The local horror film “App the Horror” debuted in fifth place with $233,269 from 32,349 admissions over the weekend. An anthology, the film follows a group of young people who develop a ghost-detecting app. Released on Feb. 18, it has earned $430,401 to date.

The Indonesian animated feature “Jumbo” opened in sixth place with $137,669 from 22,330 admissions over the weekend. The film is a massive hit in its home country. Its total gross since Feb. 18 reached $242,630.

Local romance “Once We Were Us” took seventh place, adding $99,213 to bring its cumulative total to $17.6 million. The Norwegian drama “Sentimental Value” debuted in eighth place with $73,643 from 10,727 admissions over the weekend. It has grossed $145,634 since its Feb. 18 launch.

Rounding out the top ten were the Japanese animation “Aikatsu! Pripara The Movie -Miraculous Meeting!-” in ninth place with $50,289 (total $456,979) and the political documentary “December 3, 2024: The Orchestrated Insurrection, the Hidden Truth” in 10th with $41,954 (total $1.4 million).

The overall market collective gross for the weekend was $13 million, up from last week’s 11.9 million.