The film "Salmokji" surpassed 2 million moviegoers, setting a new milestone in the history of Korean horror films.
On the 27th, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) integrated box office network, the film "Salmokji" (director Lee Sang-min, distributed/provided by SHOWBOX, produced by The Lamp Co.) surpassed a cumulative audience of 2 million as of that day. This is the highest box office record for the horror genre since the pandemic, and it is attracting even more attention as the record of a horror film reaching 2 million viewers for the first time in a full eight years since the legendary horror film "Gonjiam."
The box office power of "Salmokji" is literally "flawless." Since its release on April 8, it has not lost the top spot at the box office for a single day, and it demonstrated the strength of being the second Korean film released in 2026 to reach 2 million viewers after The King's Warden. In particular, it surpassed 2 million viewers six days faster than the long-running foreign film "Project Hail Mary," firmly establishing the pride of K-horror.
In return for this syndromic-level popularity, the stars of "Salmokji," including Kim Hyeyoon, Lee Jong-won, and Kim Jun Han, released special commemorative photos. The actors attracted attention by expressing gratitude to the audience while striking clever poses using the "stone," the film's central prop.
In particular, Kim Hyeyoon has firmly established herself as a representative actress in her 20s who crosses the small and big screens, following the mega-hit drama Lovely Runner and achieving such a "big hit" on the screen as well.
"Salmokji" is a work that depicts the bizarre events that occur when a film crew, heading to a reservoir to reshoot a "Salmokji" road view that captured an unidentified shape on the road, encounters something deep underwater. Kim Hyeyoon's delicate performance, Lee Jong-won's intense presence, and the performances of newcomers including Jang Da-a combine to earn praise as a "horror film that achieves both visuals and narrative."
A representative said, "'Salmokji' is continuing its runaway success by word of mouth among the 10s and 20s generation, GEN Z. From the end of April, when midterms end, even more active audience inflow is expected."
[Photo] OSEN DB, "Salmokji"
[OSEN]