With the sequel to China's top-grossing film of all time - "The Battle at Lake Changjin" - leading the country's box office sales, the total box office of the Chinese war epic has reached a whopping 8.744 billion yuan ($1.37 billion), according to official data.

The "Changjin" series of films, which includes "The Battle at Lake Changjin" which hit the theaters before the 2021 National Day holidays, and its sequel, of which the Chinese title roughly translates to "Watergate Bridge," has now become the new highest-grossing series of films in China, surpassing the box office of "Detective Chinatown" series of films.

According to box office tracker Maoyan, the sequel, which hit cinemas at the start of the week-long Spring Festival holidays, has amassed total ticket sales of 2.969 billion yuan, leading domestic box office during the holidays, a lucrative moviegoing period.

Jointly directed by Chen Kaige, Hark Tsui, and Dante Lam, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" is set during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) and tells the story of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers fighting bravely in freezing weather in a key campaign at Lake Changjin or Chosin Reservoir.

The tale of young warriors, willing to risk it all to defend their motherland against the world's best-equipped army despite the lack of food and warm clothing amid the bitter cold, has struck a chord with many moviegoers.

"The Battle at Lake Changjin II" follows CPV soldiers of the same company as they take on a new task. And this time, their battlefield is a crucial bridge on the retreat route of American troops.

Global Times