Horror film Salmokji: Whispering Water has finally surpassed 3 million admissions.
The film Salmokji: Whispering Water, which is writing a new milestone for Korean horror films and continuing its box office frenzy, has finally reached the 3 million mark.
Released on Apr. 8, Salmokji: Whispering Water not only never lost the top spot at the box office for a single day, it also demonstrated the strength to become the second 2 million-admission film among Korean films released in 2026, following The King's Warden. It surpassed 2 million admissions six days faster than the long-running foreign film Project Hail Mary, properly restoring the pride of K-horror. In particular, it set a new record by becoming the highest-grossing horror film since the pandemic and the first horror film in eight years since the legendary horror film Gonjiam to reach 2 million admissions.
Also, judging from its box office trend, Salmokji: Whispering Water is expected to even surpass Janghwa, Hongryeon (314 million admissions) by director Kim Ji-woon, who has held the No. 1 spot for 23 years. Attention is focused on whether it can write a new history for horror films.
Director Lee Sang-min, who drew 3 million admissions with his debut feature Salmokji: Whispering Water, told OSEN on the 10th, "The thought I had most while it was succeeding was that I was relieved. I still find myself saying 'I'm really relieved' all the time," adding, "I was very worried about how audiences would receive it after its release, and honestly I was very afraid. Even when Salmokji: Whispering Water was receiving a lot of love after its release, I was constantly nervous. It was only after about the second week that I started to say 'I'm relieved.' Now I feel not only relieved but also very grateful," expressing his feelings about the box office hit.
Salmokji: Whispering Water broke the long-standing formula that "horror films are loved in summer" and relied solely on the work itself to receive great responses from audiences. On the reasons for its success, he said, "First, I think the actors' performances and charm played a big role. Everyone acted so well that audiences naturally grew to love the characters," adding, "I also think the memes that unexpectedly appeared and continued to be talked about are thanks to the actors' charm, including Kim Hyeyoon. Off-screen, the chemistry among the actors was very good, so audiences seemed to enjoy that aspect as well, and thanks to the promotion and marketing team that brought that out well, the word of mouth continued even better," showing humility.
He went on to say, "Our staff all understood precisely the direction this film should take and worked together, so we were able to proceed steadily to the end while making the film. It was a film that ran toward a single destination like a straight arrow, and the process of making it seemed to resemble that. I think that sincerity and energy were also conveyed to the audience," and he credited the colleagues who worked hard with him.
Salmokji: Whispering Water not only in the work itself but also spawned all kinds of memes from the banners hung at the actual Salmokji location, which became a decisive factor in its success.
Director Lee Sang-min said, "Seeing memes like a deck appearing at Salmokji or 'corn steamed in Salmokji water,' the reaction 'exorcising with capitalism' was the funniest," adding, "I was really impressed and amused by the idea that, with the characteristic energy and quick action of Korean people, even the space called Salmokji could be instantly filled with yang energy."
Among audience members who saw the film, many reviews said, "The water ghost was really scary," and the director said about this, "The water ghost felt somewhat different from other ghosts, like a representation of nature itself. I wanted to convey the helplessness humans feel in the face of nature's vastness, and the fear when confronted with an overwhelming presence that cannot be understood. So I used many shots that make characters look small compared with overwhelming spaces, and I also tried to portray the water ghost in a grotesque way," he explained.
In response to the question, "The leading actress Kim Hyeyoon and the actors' passionate performances were among the elements of its success," Director Lee Sang-min said, "I am truly grateful to the actors for making Salmokji: Whispering Water with me. At every moment, all the actors were giving their best performances without lacking, so I think I approached it with the mindset that 'I just need to do well.' I believe the film's ability to receive such great love from audiences is also largely due to the actors' strength," adding, "After the film was released and we did stage greetings, I could see firsthand how beloved the actors are. Salmokji: Whispering Water seemed to have received that power of love as well. Above all, I am truly thankful that they completed every character far more attractively than I had imagined. Truly, all of this is thanks to the actors," and he expressed his sincerity.
Meanwhile, Salmokji: Whispering Water (director Lee Sang-min, distributed by SHOWBOX, produced by The Lamp Co.) depicts a story in which an unidentified figure appears in a Salmokji road view image, and the filming crew, who head to the reservoir for reshoots, encounter something in the black, deep water. The film starred Kim Hyeyoon, Lee Jong-won, Kim Jun Han, Kim Young-seong, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan, Jang Da-a and others.<
[Photo] OSEN DB, film poster and stills, Korean Film Council (KOFIC) integrated computer network
[OSEN]