Local films wait for fall as Hollywood owns Korean summer

Korea's box office has been enjoying a strong year since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it currently belongs to Hollywood. As of Thursday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has garnered 6,390,094 admissions in Korea, according to figures from the Korean Box Office Information System. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which premiered on August 5th, drew 2,615,953 admissions. Collectively, these two Hollywood blockbusters are currently controlling the local screens.

The dominance of Hollywood becomes increasingly apparent when considering Na Hong-jin's Hope, one of the most anticipated Korean releases of the summer. This sci-fi thriller, which had aspirations of winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, has only amassed 4,430,105 admissions thus far. Despite the high expectations for the film, it has struggled to secure a spot alongside the two major global releases.

In response to the summer dominated by Hollywood blockbusters, Korean distributors have quietly adjusted their autumn schedules. Rather than engage in a head-to-head competition with the two biggest releases of the year, domestic studios have strategically shifted their most promising titles to later in the season. By pushing their strongest films to later in the year, they hope to capture the attention of audiences who may have grown weary of the constant presence of Hollywood productions.