Lee Byung-hun's latest film 'The Match' is heating up the box office even before its official release!

According to the Korean Film Council's real-time ticket sales data on March 24, 'The Match' (directed by Kim Hyung-joo) secured the No.1 spot in ticket pre-sales with a 20.8% reservation rate as of 8 AM KST.

♟️ 'The Match' surges past 'Mickey 17'

With 36,516 tickets pre-booked, 'The Match' surpassed Bong Joon-ho's highly anticipated 'Mickey 17', raising questions about the latter's box office performance.

The film tells the gripping true story of Go legend Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun), who suffers a crushing defeat at the hands of his prodigy Lee Chang-ho (played by Yoo Ah-in) — only to fight his way back to the top.

Based on a real-life mentor-student rivalry, 'The Match' delivers intense emotions and intricate performances. Lee Byung-hun fully transforms into the Go master, while Yoo Ah-in portrays the grown-up version of Lee Chang-ho.

🎥 Competition heats up: 'The Lobby' and 'Attack on Titan' follow close behind

Ha Jung-woo's 'The Lobby' is currently No.2 with a 15.0% reservation rate and 26,332 tickets sold in advance.

Meanwhile, 'Attack on Titan: The Final Chapter' (directed by Yuichiro Hayashi) takes No.3 with a 14.5% pre-sale rate. Following behind are 'Streaming' (directed by Cho Jang-ho) and 'Mickey 17'.

All eyes are now on whether 'The Match' will maintain its momentum and dominate the box office upon release.

[Photo Credit: BY4M STUDIO]