The King’s Warden box office lifts Korea to post-pandemic first-half high
KOFIC says Korean cinemas hit KRW579 billion in first-half revenue, led by record-breaking local hit The King’s Warden.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
The King’s Warden box office run has put Korean cinemas on their strongest first-half footing since the pandemic, with local films driving a sharp rebound in 2026, according to figures released by the Korean Film Council.
KOFIC reported total box office revenue of KRW579 billion, or $399.1 million, for the first six months of the year. Admissions reached 57.05 million, with revenue up 41.9% from the same period a year earlier and admissions rising 34.2%.
The Korean Film Council, commonly referred to as KOFIC, is the organization cited for the national box office data. Its figures show that homegrown releases did the heavy lifting as theaters clawed back ground.
How did The King’s Warden box office perform?
“The King’s Warden” topped every release in the period, earning KRW163.1 billion, or $112.4 million, from 16.91 million admissions. KOFIC said the film became the highest-grossing Korean movie ever released.
Local films as a whole brought in KRW370.2 billion, or $255.2 million, from 37.37 million admissions. That marked an 81.7% jump in revenue and a 74.9% rise in admissions year-on-year.
KOFIC said the first half was the best for Korean cinema since the pandemic, with local-film revenue reaching 94.2% of the average first-half level seen before the pandemic across 2017 to 2019.
Korean titles locked up the top three spots. “Colony” followed in second place with KRW60.5 billion, or $41.7 million, from 5.74 million admissions. “Salmokji: Whispering Water” ranked third with KRW33.3 billion, or $23 million, from 3.24 million admissions.
The council said the gains were not limited to one kind of film. Period pieces and action blockbusters helped, but mid-budget and smaller romance and horror releases also contributed, pointing to a broader mix of successful Korean movies.
International films still made money from pricier tickets
Foreign releases took KRW208.8 billion, or $143.9 million, from 19.68 million admissions in the first half. KOFIC said admissions for international films fell 6.9% year-on-year, while revenue still rose 2.3%.
The council attributed that split to premium-format sales for films including “Project Hail Mary” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Premium screenings accounted for 30.2% of total revenue on “Project Hail Mary” and 49.9% on “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
Across the market, premium-format screenings generated KRW45.7 billion, or $31.5 million, up 56.3% from a year earlier. They represented 7.9% of total revenue in the first half.
KOFIC said theaters have increasingly used premium formats since the pandemic as a way to set their offerings apart. The average ticket price rose by KRW551, or 38 cents, to KRW10,150, or $7, reflecting both premium sales and wider ticket-price increases.
Which distributors led Korea’s first-half box office?
Showbox Corp. ranked first among distributors with a 48.6% revenue share worth KRW281.4 billion, or $194 million. Its slate included “The King’s Warden,” “Colony,” “Salmokji: Whispering Water” and “Once We Were Us.”
The Walt Disney Company Korea placed second, with KOFIC listing a 13.8% share worth KRW43.1 billion, or $29.7 million, across nine titles. Its releases included “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Toy Story 5” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”
In the independent and arthouse category, “Backrooms” led with KRW12.4 billion, or $8.5 million, from 1.16 million admissions. “Ran 12.3” took second place, while “My Name” finished third.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.