Marvel Studios' new film "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" has surpassed 1 million admissions at the fastest pace among this year's releases in South Korea, its local distributor said Saturday.

The film had garnered a cumulative audience of 1.02 million as of midnight Friday, the fourth day of its release, according to Walt Disney Company Korea.

It became the fastest film to surpass 1 million admissions this year, outpacing the year's top-grossing films, which include the animated Japanese film "Suzume" and the Korean crime-thriller "The Point Men," which took six and seven days, respectively, to do so.

In comparison, "Top Gun: Maverick," which sold 8.17 million tickets last year, and "Avatar: The Way of Water," a 2022 film that surpassed 10 million moviegoers earlier this year, took four days and three days, respectively, to reach the same milestone.

The success of the third installment of the "Guardians" series was unexpected as the first two installments attracted just slightly over 1.34 million and 2.73 million admissions, respectively, in South Korea.

The series, which first premiered in 2014, tells the story of underdog superheroes who are somewhat lacking in teamwork or ability, as they face a multiversal threat.

In "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" that will be the final installment of the series, Peter, who grieves after losing his lover Gamora, sets out on a mission with his colleagues that could be their last. (Yonhap)