Recently, the film industry has seen intensifying 'mind games' among distributors over release timing. As the theater market has contracted following COVID-19, distributors are carefully selecting release dates to secure audiences. While Wednesday releases were once standard, Friday releases have recently become a popular strategy to boost opening-day box office scores. Cases like 'Black Nuns' and 'Harbin' have achieved strong performances following Friday releases. In a situation where recovering audience numbers is difficult, distributors are reducing risk by considering competing films, holidays, and even popular OTT titles when deciding release dates. This trend is expected to continue in the future.
