Bong Joon-ho’s “Mickey 17,” a Hollywood sci-fi production, is South Korea’s highest-grossing film of 2025 to date, drawing 3.01 million moviegoers. Among local titles, “Hitman 2” led with 2.54 million admissions.
But industry watchers say the absence of a breakout domestic hit is weighing on the sector, with first-quarter box office revenue down 33.6% from a year earlier.
According to Gil Jong-chul, a film professor at Hanyang University and former CEO of CJ Entertainment, the core issue is a “crisis of storytelling.” Gil, who recently published a book analyzing the formula behind Korea’s 10-million-ticket blockbusters, says too many recent films have lost sight of strong narrative foundations.
“Some of the major flops released just after the pandemic were made during the pre-COVID boom,” Gil said. “Success in 2019 brought in easy investment for directors, which led to indulgent films driven more by personal vision than story. Unfortunately, many of them premiered when audiences were least willing to return to theaters.”
He cited sci-fi fantasy “Alienoid” and lunar disaster film “The Moon” as examples that drove audiences further from cinemas.
Since “Silmido” became the first South Korean film to surpass 10 million admissions in 2003, 33 films have joined the exclusive club. Even in the post-pandemic era, strong word-of-mouth has drawn audiences back. Recent blockbusters such as The Roundup (2022), 12.12: The Day (2023), and Exhuma (2024) continued the 10-million-viewer streak.
Gil attributes their success to compelling, relatable protagonists. “In the ‘Outlaws’ series, the hero Ma Seok-do is tough but warm-hearted—and even endearing. That emotional connection keeps audiences coming back,” he said. He pointed to “Exhuma” as another example, where viewers follow a team of exorcists in a suspenseful chase for answers.
Gil said, “The protagonist is the bridge between the audience and the story—a guide through the journey. But many characters today fail to fulfill that role.”
On the production side, Gil pointed to the 2012 historical drama Masquerade as a model case. The film originated from a two-page proposal submitted by an undergraduate intern at CJ Entertainment and developed into a box office hit under director Choo Chang-min. “Every industry needs fresh ideas from the younger generation,” Gil said, emphasizing the importance of nurturing promising concepts. “It’s rare for a film to stay so true to its original vision through development and release—but Masquerade did exactly that.”
Some argue that a more diverse industry would benefit from producing multiple mid-level hits instead of chasing one blockbuster. Critics also say overreliance on proven formulas and star casting has led to stagnation. But Gil sees commercial success as a prerequisite for sustainability.
“Investors need to see returns. Big hits keep them in the game,” he said. “The success of 10-million-viewer films creates trickle-down support for indie and arthouse projects. If we want a thriving industry, we still need blockbusters.”
