"12.12: The Day," a historical saga depicting South Korea's military coup in 1979, topped 12 million admissions Monday, the film's local distributor said. Since its release on Nov. 22, the film has gained rapid popularity, earning rave reviews and claiming the title of the most-viewed film among those released in South Korea in 2023. It has already surpassed the total admissions of "Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War," which had 11.7 million in 2004, and is expected to soon surpass the historical drama movie "A Taxi Driver," which had 12.2 million admissions in 2017. Directed by Kim Sung-su, "12.12: The Day" recounts the heart-pounding nine hours of confrontation between Chun Doo-kwang, head of the Defense Security Command, who orchestrates a military coup to seize power on Dec. 12, 1979, and Capital Defense Cdr. Lee Tae-shin, who risks everything to oppose the coup. The movie is based on real events but incorporates fictional elements and characters. Actors Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung play the two main roles. Source: Yonhap News Agency