A South Korean megahit movie about a 16th-century Korean admiral's astonishing victory over Japanese naval forces has earned more than $1.18 million after last week's release in North America, the movie's distributor said Monday.

The film, "Roaring Currents," posted the box-office haul in seven days after it was released in the region on Aug. 15 under the title "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," according to CJ Entertainment.

The figure is a record for a film directly distributed by a South Korean distributor, according to its officials. The previous record was $923,442 for the local drama "Gwanghae: the Man Who Became the King."

Thanks to favorable reviews by critics and moviegoers, the number of theaters screening "Roaring Currents" in North America rose from the initial 30 to 42 in the film's second week, CJ said.

In South Korea, the film surpassed 16 million viewers on Sunday.

It depicts a legendary naval victory over Japan led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In the Battle of Myeongnyang in 1597, the commander prevailed with only a dozen ships against Japan's 300 warships.

Meanwhile, "Snowpiercer," the English-debuting film by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, has topped $4 million in sales since it opened in the United States on June 27, becoming the top-selling Korean film ever in the U.S. box office. Released by a local distributor, the sci-fi action film is still being screened in American theaters.  

(Yonhap)