Can Korean cinema sustain its rebound?
'The King's Warden' drives rebound; gov't seeks to make recovery last
After years of struggling to recover from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea's film industry is finally showing signs of life again.
Driven by a string of local box-office successes, led by the historical drama “The King's Warden,” Korean films have regained momentum in theaters this year, raising hopes that the industry may be emerging from one of the most difficult periods in its history.
According to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the nation's theaters attracted 31.9 million admissions during the first quarter of 2026, up 53.2 percent from 20.82 million a year earlier. Total box office revenue rose 58.7 percent year-on-year to 318 billion won ($211.2 million).
Korean films accounted for much of that recovery. Domestic films generated 233.3 billion won in ticket sales and drew 24.01 million viewers during the January-March period, more than double the previous year.
The biggest contributor was “The King's Warden,” which became a rare phenomenon in the post-pandemic era. The film, which opened on Feb. 4, attracted 15.73 million viewers in the first quarter alone and has since surpassed 16 million admissions, becoming the highest-grossing movie in local box office history.
The success of “The King's Warden,” together with the steady performance of midbudget drama “Once We Were Us” and horror hit “Salmokji: Whispering Water,” helped restore confidence among investors and distributors that audiences are still willing to return to theaters for compelling local content.
Momentum has also been supported by director Yeon Sang-ho's latest film, “Colony.” After drawing strong attention from audiences during its showing in the Midnight Screenings section at the Cannes Film Festival, the film continued its momentum at home, remaining atop the local box office with more than 3.4 million admissions.
“Clearly, this year feels different from the period when the industry was facing an existential crisis after the pandemic,” a marketing official at a local film company said.
“The recovery can be felt both in the numbers and in the overall atmosphere. In the end, audiences return when there are entertaining films worth watching. When people enjoy a movie, they want to share that experience with family and friends, and that naturally brings them back to theaters.”
Industry observers say a stronger lineup of Korean films is also supporting the recovery compared with recent years.
Attention is now shifting to director Na Hong-jin's “Hope,” which emerged as one of the most talked-about Asian titles at Cannes after becoming the first Korean film in four years to compete for the Palme d'Or. Industry insiders say the film's box office performance could become an important test of whether the recovery can be sustained beyond the first half of the year. “Hope” is scheduled to be released in theaters here in July.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/films/20260603/can-korean-cinema-sustain-its-rebound