Chinese animated powerhouse “Ne Zha 2” climbed to the top as the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally on Tuesday (Feb. 18).

With global earnings, including pre-sales, its total box office takings reached 12.321 billion yuan (around 1.7 billion U.S. dollars), surpassing the Inside Out 2 which profited 12.319 billion yuan, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan as of Tuesday evening.

It is now the eighth most lucrative movies ever made.

This milestone comes just 20 days after its release on Jan. 29 during the Chinese New Year and one day after it reached the all-time global box office top 10.

The achievement adds to an impressive list of records for the film, including the first to gross one billion U.S. dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.

The movie’s performance abroad is also pretty impressive, with overseas box office topping 10 million U.S. dollars.

Drawing inspiration from a mythological tale dating back to China’s Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) period, the movie showcases cutting-edge special effects, demonstrating the creativity of the Chinese movie industry. By combining various traditional Chinese cultural elements into the plot, imagery, and characters, the movie also highlights the unique charm of Chinese culture.

(CCTV +)

South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron has been found dead at her home, a police official with knowledge of the case said on Sunday.

Kim, 24, was one of most promising actresses in South Korea, but her career took a hit after a drunk driving incident in 2022.

A friend who was going to meet Kim visited her home and discovered her and called the police, Yonhap News Agency said.

Police found no foul play, according to Yonhap.

The police official said police are investigating the cause of death but did not provide further details.

Source: Reuters

Veteran actress Kumari Perera has passed away at the age of 68 while receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital, according to family sources.

Kumari Perera made her debut in the iconic Kopi Kade teledrama series and went on to feature in over a hundred teledramas throughout her career. 

She also played significant roles in several popular stage dramas, including the role of ‘Maname Kumari’ in Ediriweera Sarachchandra’s stageplay – ‘Maname’ 
Funeral arrangements for the late actress will be announced in due course.