Feeling lost in a confusing world, he found solace in the movie Chungking Express, which provided him comfort during this challenging period.
Dissatisfied with the routine corporate environment at Shinsegi Telecommunications, he made the bold decision to leave and start his own business.
[8][9][full citation needed] As the head of Megabox's programming team, Jang Kyung-ik was responsible for tasks such as theater placement and movie purchasing.
They focused on capturing audience emotions by carefully examining movie titles, posters, trailers, and considering press reactions, online community responses, and preview screenings.
[8][9] In his role as team leader during his second to third year, Jang Kyung-ik organized Japanese and European film festivals and launched the 'Movie On Style' brand.
[5][9] Jang, along with Kim Woo-taek, has fostered a 'club culture' at the company, emphasizing minimal meetings and a focus on individual responsibility and communication.
The company's success in the film industry is attributed to its open communication system, where employees feel comfortable expressing opposing views regardless of their position.
The company's unique structure, focusing solely on investment and distribution without owning multiplexes, highlights the importance of external factors in their decision-making processes.
[15] Director Chung Ji-young's comeback film after a 13-year break, Unbowed, produced and distributed by Aura Pictures, had a modest budget of ₩1.5 billion, including marketing and production costs.
By January 26, the film had attracted 1.4 million viewers,[16][20] mainly due to positive word of mouth, making it an unexpected box office hit.
It secured the top position at the local box office, holding surpassing Hollywood blockbusters such as The Avengers and Men in Black 3.
][27] In just 19 days after its release, The Grand Heist captured an audience of 4 million viewers, making it the seventh Korean film in 2012 to achieve this milestone.
[31] Over five weeks, it amassed a domestic total of ₩33,693,067,319,[32] establishing itself as a standout among other summer hits like The Amazing Spider-Man, The Last Night, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Thieves.
[42][43][44][45][46] The film's distribution rights were secured by 20 countries, including Italy, Germany, Russia, Norway, Turkey, Hong Kong, and Greece.
Despite facing competition from The Berlin File, the film saw a 15% increase in audience numbers in its third week, with seat bookings reaching an impressive 75.8%.
[57][58] By March 15, 2013, 52 days after its premiere, ticket sales reached 12.32 million, securing its position as the seventh highest grossing Korean film of all time.
[59][60][61] NEW outperformed competitors like CJ E&M, Showbox, and Lotte, claiming the top spot in terms of audience with successful films like Miracle in Cell No.
[62][63][full citation needed] The Attorney marked director Yang Woo-suk's directorial debut and was the third work by withUs Film.
[64][66] CJ and Showbox had expressed interest in distributing the film, However, Jang and NEW's CEO Kim Woo-taek intervened, and personally contacted Choi Jae-won.
The drama business sector saw significant success in the first half of the year, with Descendants of the Sun becoming a massive hit, surpassing 38% in viewership ratings.
[79] The majority of the story unfolds on a KTX train journey from Seoul to Busan where a sudden zombie apocalypse erupts in the country, jeopardizing the safety of the passengers.
[78] Studio&NEW (스튜디오앤뉴) was established in September 2016 with the objective of delivering high-quality content in the movie and drama sectors, drawing upon the production capabilities demonstrated in Descendants of the Sun.
[82][83][84] In 2017, CEO Jang Kyung-ik unveiled Studio&NEW's drama lineup and made an official announcement about signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the broadcaster JTBC.
[86][87] Due to limited available information about the actual battle, director Lee Kwang-sik had to extensively study approximately 100 publications from Japan and China.
By September 21, the film had secured distribution deals in more than 32 countries, with release dates scheduled for October 2018 in the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Singapore.
[97] In November 2020, Studio&NEW and Geumwol, film production company owned by Park Hoon-jung, signed an equity investment contract.