Na Hong-Jin's Hope holds No. 1 as Korea box office slows
Na Hong-Jin's science-fiction thriller Hope stayed No. 1 at the Korea box office over the Jul. 24–26 weekend, taking $5.5 million and a 66.8% market share even as overall weekend revenue sank to $8.2 million from $17.1 million the week before. For more entertainment alerts, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Key Takeaways
- Hope led South Korea with $5.5 million and 767,366 admissions (Jul. 24–26).
- The film held a 66.8% share of total market revenue, per KOBIS.
- Hope's local cume reached $25.3 million from 3,415,707 viewers after its record opening.
- The wider market fell to $8.2 million from $17.1 million the prior weekend.
- Minions & Monsters placed second; Moana and Toy Story 5 followed.
Why did Hope stay on top at the Korea box office?
According to Variety, citing KOBIS data from the Korean Film Council, Hope generated $5.5 million from 767,366 admissions across the three-day window. That haul secured a commanding 66.8% share of total market revenue.
Directed by Na Hong-Jin, the big-budget tentpole stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander. The story follows a secluded harbor town fighting to survive after residents find a mysterious alien entity nearby. After a record-setting opening frame, Hope has now grossed $25.3 million from 3,415,707 total viewers in South Korea.
How soft was the wider Korea box office weekend?
The overall market collective gross for the weekend was $8.2 million, plummeting from last week's $17.1 million. Hope's dominance mattered more because the korea box office hongjin8217s headline run came amid that sharp slowdown rather than a rising tide of ticket sales.
Second place went to Minions & Monsters, which pulled in $793,103 from 117,916 admissions. Since its Jul. 15 debut, that title has lifted its cumulative total to $3.9 million from 562,965 ticket buyers.
What else ranked in South Korea's top 10?
Disney's live-action Moana took third in its third weekend, collecting $593,187 from 87,033 admissions and reaching $6.6 million from 909,270 admissions overall. Toy Story 5 placed fourth with $376,522 from 53,975 buyers, pushing its local cume to $19.8 million from 2,837,123 viewers since mid-June.
Faith-based animated title David claimed fifth ($302,409; 46,493 admissions; $1.4 million cume). Local thriller The Eyes was sixth ($269,004), with a $10.6 million lifetime gross from 1,511,619 ticket buyers. Japanese anime Dream Animals The Movie debuted seventh ($92,720 from 15,300 admissions). Marty Supreme, Colony, and newcomer Hokum rounded out places eight through 10 as the market cooled.