Seoul: Korean cinema achieved unprecedented commercial success in September, setting new records for both sales and audience turnout, largely fueled by the blockbuster hit “I, the Executioner.”
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Film Commission’s monthly report highlighted that Korean films amassed a total of 81 billion won (approximately $59.2 million) in sales last month, with attendance surpassing 8.12 million. This marked an impressive year-on-year surge of 77.7 percent in sales, with Korean films accounting for over 80 percent of the total ticket sales, a record high for the year.
“I, the Executioner,” which premiered on September 13, played a significant role in this achievement by drawing over 6.49 million viewers by the end of the month, thereby setting a new box-office record for Korean films released during the Chuseok holiday. The film’s success underscores a growing trend of domestic productions captivating local audiences.
Additionally, the report detailed other significant contributo
rs to this record-breaking performance. “Lim Young-woong: I Am Hero — The Stadium,” a live performance film of the trot singer’s concert held in May at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul, also saw remarkable success. It set a box-office record for its genre, earning 8.7 billion won, buoyed by premium ticket pricing and a high proportion of screenings in specialty formats like IMAX and Screen X, which constituted over 66 percent of its showings.
The animated film “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love,” released on August 14, also made notable strides by attracting over 1.15 million viewers, becoming the second most-watched Korean animated film in history. This film, a cinematic adaptation of the popular children’s animation “Catch! Teenieping,” achieved this milestone by mid-September.
In stark contrast, foreign films struggled to gain traction in the Korean market, collectively garnering 19.1 billion won in sales and attracting 1.98 million viewers. The lackluster performance of international titles was attributed t
o the absence of major blockbuster releases.