The 2025 South Korean box office has proven to be a challenging landscape for local films. With overall audience admissions tracking lower than last year, many productions have struggled to reach their break-even point, making profitability a significant hurdle.
Despite this difficult market, the year has had its bright spots. From a runaway zombie comedy to a low-budget thriller that generated incredible returns, a diverse mix of films still managed to captivate audiences and achieve commercial success. Here is a detailed breakdown of the top-performing films that have defined a tough year for the industry.
My Daughter Is a Zombie
Director: Pil Gamseong
Cast: Jo Jung Seok, Lee Jung Eun, Cho Yeo Jeong, Yoon Kyung Ho, Choi Yoo Ri
Synopsis: Fierce animal trainer Lee Jeong Hwan navigates a chaotic daily life with his rebellious teenage daughter, Lee Sua, whose passion is dancing. Their world is upended when Sua becomes infected by a global zombie virus.
Admissions: 5,625,297
Gross Revenue: ₩53,028,794,290 ($40,010,364)
Box Office Performance: The film was a runaway success, reaching its break-even point just 7 days after its release by surpassing 2.2 million admissions.
YADANG: THE SNITCH
Director: Hwang Byeong Guk
Cast: Kang Ha Neul, Yoo Hae Jin, Park Hae Joon, Chae Won Bin
Synopsis: In the world of Korean drug crimes, insiders known as “Yadang” leak information to law enforcement. This creates a complex triangle of interests, as criminals use it for leniency while police use it to boost their performance records.
Admissions: 3,378,166
Gross Revenue: ₩32,002,848,430 ($24,141,797)
Box Office Performance: The film successfully broke even in its fourth week of release after drawing 2.5 million moviegoers.
HITMAN 2
Director: Choi Won Sub
Cast: Kwon Sang Woo, Jung Joon Ho, Lee Yi Kyung, Hwang Woo Seul Hye, Kim Sung Oh
Synopsis: After briefly becoming a hit webtoon writer with his series Assassination Agent Jun, Jun quickly falls from grace. As soon as Season 2 begins, he is labeled a “brainless writer” and must deal with the fallout.
Admissions: 2,547,598
Gross Revenue: ₩23,984,663,200 ($18,112,837)
Box Office Performance: The sequel reached its break-even point of 2.3 million admissions in its third week.
HARBIN
Director: Woo Min Ho
Cast: Hyun Bin, Park Jung Min, Jo Woo Jin, Jeon Yeo Been, Lee Dong Wook
Synopsis: Set in 1909, after Korea is forced into becoming a Japanese colony, the film follows a group of freedom fighters who plot the assassination of Japan’s prime minister in their quest for independence.
Admissions: 4,913,705
Gross Revenue: ₩46,970,001,380 ($35,470,976)
Box Office Performance: The film’s original break-even point was 6.5 million admissions. Strong international sales lowered this target to 5 million admissions. However, it did not reach its break-even point with a cumulative total of 4.91 million admissions across 2024 and 2025.
The Match
Director: Kim Hyung Joo
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Yoo Ah In, Ko Chang Seok, Hyun Bong Sik, Moon Jeong Hee, Kim Kang Hoon
Synopsis: Set in the 1980s-1990s, the film follows Go champion Cho Hun Hyun as he mentors a gifted young player, Lee Chang Ho. Tensions rise when the protégé later challenges his teachings.
Admissions: 2,146,505
Gross Revenue: ₩20,043,690,660 ($15,126,785)
Box Office Performance: The film broke even in its third week by surpassing its 1.8 million admission target.
HI-FIVE
Director: Kang Hyeong Cheol
Cast: Lee Jae In, Ahn Jae Hong, Yoo Ah In, Ra Mi Ran, Kim Hee Won, Park Jin Young
Synopsis: Five ordinary people each receive transplants from a mysterious organ donor. They soon discover they have gained unique superpowers and form a team.
Admissions: 1,893,622
Gross Revenue: ₩17,545,718,020 ($13,247,764)
Box Office Performance: The film did not reach its break-even point of approximately 2.9 million admissions.
Noise
Director: Kim Soo Jin
Cast: Lee Sun Bin, Kim Min Seok
Synopsis: Joo Young, a hearing-impaired woman, moves into a new apartment with her sister, Joo Hee. When Joo Hee disappears without a trace, Joo Young and Joo-hee’s boyfriend, Ki Hoon, investigate, uncovering a terrifying mystery linked to strange noises within their new home.
Admissions (as of Sept. 30): 1,707,640
Gross Revenue: ₩16,758,981,410 ($12,650,745)
Box Office Performance: This horror film successfully reached its break-even point of 1 million admissions on its 18th day in theaters.
Dark Nuns
Director: Kwon Hyuk Jae
Cast: Song Hye Kyo, Jeon Yeo Been, Lee Jin Wook
Synopsis: When a young boy is possessed by an evil spirit, Sister Yunia tries to save him with the help of Sister Mikaela. Their efforts are complicated by Priest Paul, who attempts medical treatment, and Priest Andrew, who performs an exorcism.
Admissions: 1,670,559
Gross Revenue: ₩16,134,349,980 ($12,112,625)
Box Office Performance: The film’s original break-even point was over 2.3 million admissions, but thanks to pre-release sales to 160 countries, the target was lowered to 1.6 million. It successfully broke even in its third week.
NO OTHER CHOICE
Director: Park Chan Wook
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Son Ye Jin, Park Hee Soon
Synopsis: After years of unemployment, a man creates a unique and dark plan to secure a job by systematically eliminating his competition.
Admissions (as of Sept. 30): 1,152,887
Gross Revenue: ₩11,247,055,040 ($8,466,029)
Box Office Performance: The film reached its break-even point before it was even released in Korea, thanks entirely to strong international pre-sales.
Omniscient Reader
Director: Kim Byung Woo
Cast: Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Min Ho, Chae Soo Bin, Nana, Jisoo.
Synopsis: Kim Dokja is the sole reader of an obscure web novel, Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse. After he reads the final chapter, the novel’s world suddenly becomes reality. As the only person who knows what will happen, he and his companions must save the planet.
Admissions: 1,061,057
Gross Revenue: ₩10,052,476,060 ($7,561,531)
Box Office Performance: The film did not meet its domestic break-even point. It needed approximately 6 million admissions to be profitable from its Korean run alone, but drew just over 1 million.
The Ugly
Director: Yeon Sang Ho
Cast: Park Jung Min, Kwon Hae Yo, Shin Hyun Been, Han Ji Hyun, Im Seong Jae
Synopsis: A man begins to investigate the truth behind the death of his long-lost mother.
Admissions (as of Sept. 30): 918,899
Gross Revenue: ₩9,468,708,130 ($7,280,538)
Box Office Performance: With a tiny production budget of only ₩200 million ($151,520), the film was a massive financial success. It broke even in just 3 days. Its cumulative gross revenue of over ₩7.5 billion ($5,681,400) from 722,720 admissions at the time represented a return of more than 37 times its original budget.
