Song Joong Ki struggles with consecutive box office failures: what went wrong?
On January 7th KST, the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticket sales network reported that Song Joong Ki’s movie ‘Bogotá: The Last Chance’ ranked third, following ‘Harbin’ and ‘The Firefighter.’ With a total audience count of 336,349, its daily viewership has dropped to the 10,000 range, signaling a crisis. Reaching its break-even point of 3 million viewers seems far-fetched, with even hitting 500,000 viewers becoming unlikely.
‘Bogotá’ was filmed on location in Colombia but faced significant setbacks, including a suspension in shooting due to the pandemic. Song Joong Ki expressed his deep affection for the film during a radio appearance, stating, “This project feels especially poignant. While no filming is without challenges, we began this one five years ago. After months of shooting in Colombia, production was halted due to COVID-19. We later regrouped to complete it, and now it’s finally releasing.”
Despite his dedication, the film has faced widespread criticism. On CGV, its Egg Index sits at 79%, while Naver audience ratings average 7.04, and netizen scores on other platforms hover at a dismal 4.76. Audiences have criticized the film for its fragmented narrative and incomplete conclusion.
Song Joong Ki has often portrayed intelligent and clean-cut characters in dramas while opting for tough, gritty roles in movies. However, these rugged personas may not suit him. His previous Netflix film ‘Ro Gi Wan’ (released in March 2024) also featured intense performances but received a mediocre rating of 6 out of 10 and failed at the box office.
Since his marriage in January 2023, Song Joong Ki has struggled to find box office success. Despite his promotional efforts for ‘Bogotá,’ public attention has been more focused on his personal life, including his wife Katy Louise Saunders and their two children.
Looking ahead, Song Joong Ki will return to his forte with the upcoming drama ‘My Youth,’ a romantic series co-starring Chun Woo Hee. As a genre he excels in, there is hope that ‘My Youth’ will finally break his streak of disappointments.
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