Japanese hit horror The Grudge (Ju-on) is repeating its box office success across Asia.

In Hong Kong, the horror has grossed $750,000 since its release on May 29 on 17 screens, while in Singapore it has taken $650,000 from 23 screens since June 12.

The Grudge (pictured), has achieved over 1 million admissions in South Korea since its release on June 27 on 75 screens and the film seems set to become the most successful Japanese film ever released in South Korea. The current record-holder is Shinji Iwai's romantic love story, Love Letter - with 1.2 million admissions.

Elsewhere in Asia, The Grudge will open in Taiwan on 60 screens on August 23 and in Malaysia in October. Lion's Gate Entertainment will distribute The Grudge in North America in 2004.

Distributed by Xanadeux, The Grudge was released on 120 screens in Japan in January 2003 and grossed $4.2m (Y500m).

"I never thought The Grudge would have this success in Asia, especially in South Korea. I am expecting The Grudge 2 to take over $8.3m (Y1bn) at the Japanese box office," said Taka Ichise, producer of The Grudge, The Grudge 2 and US remake of The Grudge.

The sequel, The Grudge 2 will open in Japan on August 23 on 150 screens and is scheduled to be distributed in South Korea in September on 150 screens by 20 Century Fox.

Xanadeux will handle the sequel's Japanese release, while Japan's Kadokawa Publishing and Canada's Horizon Entertainment are handling world sales.

Meanwhile, Sam Raimi and Senator International's Ghost House Pictures' US remake of The Grudge is scheduled to start principal photography in Japan this autumn.