Korea box office: Hong Jin's Hope rules with 66% share
Korea box office Hong Jin standout Hope earned $11.3 million and a 66.62% share over July 17–19, per KOBIS figures cited by Variety. The local sci-fi survival thriller led a market that surged to $17.1 million, more than double the previous weekend's $8.2 million.
Key Takeaways
- Hope took $11.3 million from 1,504,019 admissions and 66.62% of weekend revenue, according to KOBIS.
- Na Hong Jin's film has a cumulative $16 million from 2,129,723 admissions after heavy previews.
- South Korea's overall weekend gross jumped to $17.1 million from $8.2 million the week before.
- Minions & Monsters, Moana, and Toy Story 5 filled second through fourth place behind Hope.
Why did Hope dominate the Korea box office?
Directed by Na Hong Jin, Hope is a science-fiction survival thriller about residents of a remote harbor village who discover a mysterious alien entity and fight to survive. The ensemble includes Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander.
Capitalizing on massive pre-release anticipation and extensive preview screenings, the blockbuster has amassed $16 million from 2,129,723 total admissions, Variety reported from KOBIS data.
Who else ranked among Korea's top weekend films?
Minions & Monsters debuted in second with $2.1 million from 308,575 admissions, for a local cume of $2.6 million. Moana moved to third in its sophomore outing at $1.2 million, lifting its South Korean haul to $5.6 million from 772,104 viewers.
Toy Story 5 took fourth with $834,989 from 114,720 tickets, pushing its total since mid-June to $19.1 million. Psychological horror remake The Eyes finished fifth with $552,784; directed by Yeom Ji-ho and starring Shin Min-ah and Kim Nam-hee, it has earned $9.9 million through four frames.
Faith-based animated musical David placed sixth with $436,845, clearing $1 million overall. Yeon Sang-ho's Colony added $92,196 for a $42.2 million cume since May 21. Marty Supreme, a Doraemon feature, and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity also appeared in the top 10.
How does this weekend fit the wider Asian box office?
The same July 17–19 frame also favored a local hit in mainland China, where Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Soccer held No. 1 with $73.7 million, per Artisan Gateway figures. For readers following theatrical and screen buzz, more alerts live in our Streaming & TV Alerts category.
Korea's rebound to $17.1 million shows how one event title can reset the market: Hope alone captured nearly two-thirds of weekend revenue, leaving Hollywood animations and holdovers to fight for the remaining share.