South Korean star Song Joong-ki tearfully addresses Bogota box office failure: 'I worked harder than ever'

South Korean star Song Joong-ki became emotional, while addressing the box-office failure of his latest film, Bogotá: City of the Lost. The event, which was a post-screening Q and A, was attended by co-stars Lee Hee- joon and special guest Lee Sung-min. Lee Sung Min expressed his feelings, stating, "When I arrived here, the parking lot was empty—it broke my heart. There hardly seem to be any people in the theater. There could be many reasons, but when actors see empty theaters, it’s really tough. When a film is released during such a time, it honestly makes you want to die."

Joong-ki, who has been the star of several Korean shows, including Descendants of The Sun and Vincenzo, was visibly moved. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the Korean film industry, and expressed gratitude for the film's theatrical release, saying, "As my senior said, Korean cinema is in a really tough spot right now. Honestly, I’m just grateful that our film is being screened at all. I’ve worked harder than ever to promote it. I wanted people to know about it, and I wanted to present it well."

Midway through his speech, he teared up and said, "Talking about this makes me choke up..." After a brief pause to gather himself, he concluded with a heartfelt 'Thank you'.

Released on December 31, 2024, Bogotá: City of the Lost has struggled at the box office, attracting approximately 400,000 viewers as of January 15, far short of its break-even point of 3 million. This marks Joong-Ki's third consecutive box office disappointment, following Hopeless in 2023 and My Name Is Loh Kiwan.