Whiplash found favor with audiences in Japan and South Korea, where the low-budget pic earned $5 million and $11.5 million, respectively. Perhaps J.K. Simmons' dictatorial music teacher character struck a chord with Asian fans who themselves endured a similarly strict pedagogical approach in their youths.
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When Furious 7 snatched [China]'s all-time biggest box office crown in April and Jurassic World legged out to nearly the same heights as Ultron in June, the local market went into what one Western exec termed "a panic": Hollywood films were succeeding at a breakneck pace, while China had not had a movie of its own cross $150M since February. The traditional — and unofficial — summer blackout period was extended by several weeks to allow local fare to flourish and Hollywood to sit on the sidelines longer than in the past.
Monster Hunt, which was left in cinemas for about 60 days versus the 30 that Hollywood movies are allowed, beat F7's record on the Day 58.
In the wake of that, it was reported that screenings of Monster Hunt, as it limped to the finish line, were, as one person tells me, taking place every 15 minutes while empty but "sold out." The ticket fraud issue was raised. Producer Edko Pictures admitted to giving away $6.2M worth of tickets for "public welfare screenings" near the end of the film's run and acknowledged there were overnight and duplicate screenings. [source]
The king stay the king.