Master (2016 film)
Master (, also stylized as MA$TER) is a South Korean action crime film directed by Cho Ui-seok. Written jointly by Cho Ui-seok and Kim Hyun-duk, it stars Lee Byung-hun, Gang Dong-won and Kim Woo-bin in the lead roles. The narrative centers around the manhunt for a conman launched by South Korea's financial crime unit after he absconds with the money and assumes a new identity, causing a cop to team up with the conman's mastermind partner in order to crack the case involving a nationwide financial fraud leads to the  Southeast Asian haven for scam artists, thieves, and criminals: Metro Manila. The film opened theatrically in South Korea on 21 December 2016, and received more than 7 million admissions nationwide. Released on 1,501 screens, it grossed more than $48 million at the South Korean box office. Plot. An intellectual crime investigation team goes after company One Network. The company is involved in a massive fraud case. Production. Filming began on 23 April 2016. Filming took around 2 months time in the Philippines, including Binondo, Intramuros, Bulacan, and Cebu. Marketing. The film was showcased at the American Film Market held  in Santa Monica, California from November 2–9. It has been sold to 31 countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and other countries. Release and box office. The VIP Premiere of "Master" was held on 19 December 2016 at CGV Yeongdeungpo in Seoul. "Master" was initially released in South Korea and was screened at 1,448 theatres. As per the Korea Box Office Information System (KOBIS) tallied by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) on the first day of the release 393,247 viewers were attracted and took 66.3 percent of the total  box office sales that day. According to the Korean Film Council, "Master" topped the box office charts and became the most watched movie during the Christmas weekend of 2016 in South Korea. It was reported an audience of about 2.2 million viewed the movie. In the first five days since its opening on 21 December, the film has reached three million mark in ticket sales, earning 24.8 billion won (Approx: USD 20.5 million) in total. As of early February 2017, "Master" has grossed US$49.81 million in South Korean box office and has sold 7.14 million tickets according to the  Korean Film Council. "Master" ended up as the No. 11 bestselling film for 2016 in Korea.