Director Yoo Ha’s “Gangnam 1970,” with Lee Min-ho and Kim Rae-won in lead roles, topped the box office on Wednesday, pushing aside “Ode to My Father” on the day of its release.

According to industry data, “Gangnam 1970” took in nearly 153,000 viewers on 684 screens across the nation on its release day to jump to the top.

Industry officials say that the initial response to the film is unexpected due to its long running time -- 135 minutes -- and its R rating.

In comparison, “Ode to My Father” took the second place on Wednesday with about 90,000 cinemagoers watching the movie.

Since its release, more than 11.4 million people have seen the film, making it the 10th most viewed movie in Korea.

As for “Gangnam 1970,” the movie follows the lives of two gangsters, portrayed by Lee and Kim, as they attempt to make it big as Seoul goes through rapid development in the 1970s.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)