South Korea box office jumps 42% in H1 2026, led by record‑breaking 'The King’s Warden

South Korea’s theatrical market recorded a 41.9% year‑on‑year increase in revenue for the January‑June 2026 period, reaching $396.6 million (KRW 579 billion) with 57 million admissions, up 34.2% from the same half‑year last year. Domestic titles drove the surge: Korean films generated $254 million (KRW 370.2 billion) and 37.4 million tickets, marking an 81.7% rise in revenue and a 74.9% rise in admissions, and accounting for about 64% of total box‑office revenue and 65% of admissions.

Jang Hang‑jun’s period drama “The King’s Warden” topped the chart, earning $111.7 million (KRW 163.1 billion) from 16.9 million tickets, becoming the highest‑grossing Korean film ever and the first to exceed 10 million admissions in two years, second only to “The Admiral: Roaring Currents.” Yeon Sang‑ho’s zombie thriller “Colony” and the low‑budget horror “Salmokji: Whispering Water” rounded out the top three domestic earners. Foreign releases added $143 million (KRW 208.8 billion) in revenue, a 2.3% rise, though ticket sales fell 6.9%. The import “Project Hail Mary” was the top‑grossing foreign title with $22.6 million. Premium‑format screenings (IMAX, 4DX, ScreenX, Dolby Cinema) grew 56.3% year‑on‑year, contributing $31.3 million to the box‑office. Showbox emerged as the leading distributor, handling all four top‑performing Korean titles.