'Bogotá' Fails at the Box Office: Song Joong-ki in Tears, "I Worked Hard to Promote It"




The film Bogotá: The Land of the Last Chance (hereafter referred to as Bogotá) has shown lackluster performance at the box office, leaving lead actor Song Joong-ki emotional during a public appearance.
On January 12, a GV (Guest Visit) event for Bogotá was held at Megabox Seongsu in Seoul. The event was attended by cast members Song Joong-ki and Lee Hee-jun, with special guest Lee Sung-min.


During the event, Lee Sung-min shared his concerns, saying, "Lately, when I pull into parking lots, they’re almost empty, and it breaks my heart. It feels like there are no people in theaters anymore. There may be various reasons, but when actors release a film during such times, it’s really difficult. It makes you feel like you just want to disappear."


He added, "But we, as actors, have to endure it. Regardless, we hope the film does well in the end. Please continue to show your support and help us finish this journey strong."
Lee Hee-jun also expressed his thoughts, saying, "Although the results are lower than we had hoped, I am truly grateful to each and every one of you who came here today. It made me realize how precious your support is."


Song Joong-ki then candidly shared his feelings about the film’s performance. "As senior actor Lee Sung-min mentioned, Korean cinema is going through a very tough time right now. Honestly, we’re at a point where we’re just grateful if a film even gets screened in theaters," he said. "That’s why I worked harder than ever to promote it. I wanted to let people know about it, and I wanted it to be seen in the best possible light."


He continued, "The role of an actor is to create good content and provide comfort to audiences who are struggling in their lives. We aim to create diverse and enjoyable projects with dedication so that we can become a source of strength for everyone."


However, as he spoke, Song Joong-ki became emotional, saying, "The more I talk about it, the more choked up I feel," as he fought back tears. After regaining his composure, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you."


As of January 15, according to the Korea Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, Bogotá has recorded a total of 400,000 admissions.


Written by Choi Hye Jin
Translated by Lee So Yun