First-Half Box Office Driven by Showbox, Revenue Soars 41.9% (Comprehensive)

All Four Distributed Films Succeed at the Box Office
"The Man Who Lives with the King" Tops All-Time Revenue Charts

Korean films led the recovery at movie theaters in the first half of this year. As a series of Korean films succeeded at the box office, audiences who had stayed away during the pandemic returned to theaters. Meanwhile, foreign films saw their presence diminish due to the sluggish performance of Hollywood blockbusters. Additionally, sales at premium theaters such as IMAX and Dolby Cinema increased rapidly, signaling a structural shift in theater revenue toward premium viewing experiences.

Still cut from the movie 'The King and the Living Man'.

According to the "2026 First Half Korean Film Industry Report" released by the Korean Film Council on July 29, total box office revenue in the first half of the year was KRW 579 billion, with a total audience of 57.05 million, up 41.9% and 34.2%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

Korean films were at the center of this market rebound. Revenue from Korean films reached KRW 370.2 billion and audience numbers 37.37 million, both increasing by 81.7% and 74.9%, respectively—marking the strongest first-half performance since COVID-19. Revenue recovered to 94.2% of the first-half average for 2017–2019, before the pandemic, and market share rose by 14 percentage points year-on-year to 63.9%.

Korean films also overwhelmingly led box office rankings. "The King and the Living Man" achieved KRW 163.1 billion in revenue, topping the all-time box office revenue list, and attracted 16.91 million viewers, ranking second in audience numbers. "Gunche" (KRW 60.5 billion) and "Salmokji" (KRW 33.3 billion) followed, with Korean films effectively sweeping the upper ranks at the box office in the first half. In particular, Showbox, which distributed all three films, posted a first-half distributor market share of 48.6% (KRW 281.4 billion), cementing its position as number one in the industry.

The strength of Korean films was also notable month by month. Thanks to the release of "The King and the Living Man," Korean films’ market share in February soared to 90.1%, and the March market share hit 74.5%, the highest ever for that month. During the Lunar New Year holiday, theater revenue reached KRW 27.8 billion, the highest since 2021, supporting the recovery in audience numbers.

In contrast, foreign films continued to see a decline in audience numbers. Total audience fell to 19.68 million, down 6.9% from the previous year, and Japanese films experienced a decrease of over 30% in both revenue and audience figures. American films also saw declining audience numbers, but revenue rose slightly, driven by strong demand at premium theaters for titles like "Project Hail Mary" and "Avatar: The Fire and Ashes." Rising average ticket prices and the growth of premium theater sales partly offset the drop in audience numbers.

The rise of premium theaters as a new revenue stream for cinemas also stood out. Sales from premium theaters—including IMAX and Dolby Cinema—totaled KRW 45.7 billion, up 56.3% from the previous year and accounting for 7.9% of total sales. This marks a significant increase in share compared to the pre-pandemic era. Notably, Dolby Cinema revenue surged 133.5% year-on-year, recording the highest growth rate, while IMAX maintained its lead in scale, accounting for 42.5% of premium theater revenue. The average movie ticket price also increased by KRW 551 to KRW 10,150, establishing premium viewing as a key driver of theater profitability.

Still cut from the movie "Gunche".

Regionally, the concentration in the metropolitan area persisted. Seoul and Gyeonggi Province accounted for 53.4% of total revenue; however, growth rates were highest in regional areas. Gangwon Province posted the nation's highest revenue increase at 60.3%, while North Chungcheong Province saw the greatest increase in audience numbers at 52.8%.

Kim Sunghui, a researcher in the Policy Development Team at the Korean Film Council, stated, "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, premium theaters have become a key differentiator for cinemas, leading to a steady expansion of their share of overall revenue. With the market dominance of Hollywood blockbusters continuing to weaken, stagnation in the foreign film market is likely to persist for the time being."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.