South Korea box office roared back to life in July. The surge was driven by the chilling success of the Korean films like “Noise” & “My Daughter is A Zombie,” and the continued pull of Hollywood blockbusters. Additionally, a government-backed theaters ticket discount campaign further fueled the rebound. The ticket discount even doubled daily audiences and pushed theaters to their highest monthly performance of 2025.
July Box Office Hits Year’s High in South Korea
According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) on the 26th, compared to the same month last year, revenue fell by 0.5% (6 billion won) and admissions decreased by 2.5% (300,000 people).
While year-on-year figures dipped slightly, the sharp month-on-month rebound shows a strong recovery in cinema demand. Compared to the previous month, revenue jumped 55.2% (40.8 billion won) and admissions surged 52.2% (4.03 million).
Global Blockbusters Fuel Korean Market Growth
“F1: The Movie” dominated the box office in July, topping the chart with ₩23.1 billion in revenue and 2.18 million viewers. Close behind, “Jurassic World: A New Beginning” delivered a strong performance with ₩20.9 billion and 2.2 million admissions. The two titles show the continued appeal of global blockbusters.
“Noise” & “My daughter is A Zombie” Top Domestic Chart
Meanwhile, Korean horror film “Noise” proved its staying power by earning ₩14.2 billion with 1.45 million viewers. “Noise” becomes the No.1 Korean title of the month among other films.
Adding to the momentum, the late-July release “My Daughter is A Zombie” made an impressive debut, drawing 430,000 moviegoers on its opening day. The movie quickly becomes one of the most talked-about domestic films.
Secret: Ticket Discounts Drive Consumer Spending
The surge was not only about the films. The government-backed movie ticket discount coupon policy had a measurable effect on audience behavior.
Coupons were issued starting July 25, and the impact was immediate. Daily box office revenue more than doubled from ₩2.38 billion to ₩5.05 billion. Meanwhile, admissions jumped from an average of 246,000 per day to 520,000.
The peak came on July 30, which coincided with “Culture Day.” On that single day, theaters drew an astonishing 860,000 visitors, the highest daily turnout of the year. That same day, “My Daughter is A Zombie” debuted with nearly half of those audiences, underscoring the power of timing and incentives in driving box office momentum.
Business Impact: Local and Global Opportunities
For local players, the success of “Noise” and “My Daughter is A Zombie” highlights the strength of Korean storytelling and genre films in revitalizing domestic demand. Meanwhile, for global distributors, the box office power of “F1: The Movie” and “Jurassic World” highlights Korea’s importance as a profitable market for Hollywood films.
The combination of targeted government incentives and diverse content created the perfect storm for July’s cinema rebound.
If momentum continues, South Korea’s film industry could post its strongest post-pandemic recovery yet. The mix of foreign blockbusters and domestic hits like “Noise” and “My Daughter is A Zombie” shows that both global studios and local creators have room to grow. For investors and businesses in entertainment, Korea remains one of Asia’s most dynamic and competitive markets.
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