South Korea’s Lunar New Year box office is shaping up to be a three-way clash, with films of vastly different scales—blockbuster action, classic historical drama, and a small but emotional family film—competing head-on for holiday audiences.
Leading the charge is Humint, the season’s only true tentpole release. Directed by action hitmaker Ryoo Seung Wan, the spy thriller was produced on a reported budget of 23.5 billion KRW (approx. 16 million USD) and opens on February 11th.
Set in Vladivostok, the film follows a high-stakes battle between South Korean intelligence agents and North Korean operatives. Zo In Sung and Park Jung Min reunite after proving their box office pull in Smugglers. With a break-even point of four million admissions, Humint carries the highest risk—and the biggest spectacle—of the holiday lineup.
Opening a week earlier on February 4th, mid-budget historical drama The King’s Warden aims to build early momentum. Produced for 10.5 billion KRW (approx. 7.3 million USD), the film taps into the historical genre’s long-standing holiday appeal.
Directed by Jang Hang Jun, the film tells a warm, human story about exiled King Danjong forming bonds with villagers during his banishment. Yoo Hae Jin stars as a down-to-earth village chief, while rising star Park Ji Hoon takes on the role of the fallen king—a pairing expected to draw audiences across age groups.
Meanwhile, smaller-scale family fantasy Number One is quietly positioning itself as a potential sleeper hit. Opening on February 11th, the film was made on a modest 4 billion KRW budget (approx. 2.8 million USD) and leans heavily on emotion over spectacle.
Reuniting Parasite co-stars Choi Woo Shik and Jang Hye Jin as mother and son, the story follows a boy who begins seeing a countdown whenever he eats his mother’s cooking—only to realize it represents her remaining time. With a break-even point of just 1.3 million admissions, strong word of mouth could turn the film into a surprise holiday winner.
As the Lunar New Year break begins, Korea’s theaters are bracing for a rare big-versus-mid-versus-small showdown.
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In the meantime, watch Park Jung Min in Bleak Night on Amasian TV for free.
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