Korea's theater industry staged an unexpected rebound in the first quarter, driven by the success of the film "The Man Who Lives with the King." Box office revenue and attendance reached their highest levels since the pandemic, signaling a recovery from a prolonged slump.
According to the Korean Film Council on Tuesday, first-quarter box office revenue totaled 318 billion won ($235 million), with 31.9 million admissions. These figures represent the highest first-quarter performance since 2020. Compared to the same period last year, revenue jumped 58.7%, or 117.7 billion won, while admissions rose 53.2%, or 11.08 million.
The rebound was largely driven by major hits. Along with "The Man Who Lives with the King," films such as "If We" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash" drew audiences back to theaters, leading the broader recovery.
"The Man Who Lives with the King" topped the first-quarter box office with 151.8 billion won in revenue and 15.73 million admissions. The film became the highest-grossing release in Korean cinema history, effectively carrying the market. Its performance pushed the market share of Korean films to 73.4%.
The mid-budget film "If We" also contributed by sustaining a long run at the box office. As a result, Korean film revenue in the first quarter reached 233.3 billion won, with 24.01 million admissions — more than double the figures from the same period last year.
Foreign films, by contrast, continued to struggle. First-quarter revenue for foreign films stood at 84.7 billion won, with 7.89 million admissions. Revenue fell 9.0% and admissions dropped 18.3% from a year earlier, marking a third consecutive year of decline.
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" placed second with 26.5 billion won in revenue and 2.18 million admissions, but its performance was not enough to reverse the broader trend. The film did show strength in premium-format screenings, however, generating 13.2 billion won in that segment — roughly half of the total.
Distributor performance also reflected the market's concentration. Showbox led with 176.3 billion won in revenue, or a 55.4% market share, backed by "The Man Who Lives with the King" and "If We." The Walt Disney Company Korea followed with 43.1 billion won, or a 13.6% share, driven by titles including "Avatar: Fire and Ash."
Industry observers note that the quarter reconfirmed how the success of major Korean films can set the tone for the entire theater industry. At the same time, the results demonstrated that audiences will return to theaters when content proves competitive.
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