In early 2020, “Parasite” by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho made history by becoming the first non-English movie to win an
for Best Picture. It was also the first time since 1955 that the Best Picture winner also won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The
put the South Korean industry back in the international spotlight and reminded audiences that South Korean pop culture has more to offer than K-pop and K-dramas. However, Asia has traditionally been, and still is, the main
, with almost 72 percent of film exports being to other Asian countries. In their home country, these movies generally outcompete foreign movies, with the exception of some international blockbusters.
Popularity of South Korean movies abroad
A 2023 survey conducted across 26 countries found that over 70 percent of respondents considered
South Korean movies to be either moderately or very popular in their countries. This was similar to the findings on the international popularity of K-dramas, though the latter are more frequently brought up in relation to “hallyu” – the phenomenon of the rising global popularity of South Korean pop culture – than films are.
Exports of South Korean films have generally increased over the past decade, standing at 62 million U.S. dollars in 2023. Unsurprisingly, it was found that “Parasite” was still the
most popular South Korean movie abroad in 2023, with “Train to Busan” coming in second.
South Korean movies dominate domestically
In 2024, over 123 million
movie theater tickets were sold in South Korea. As an industry severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ticket sales were set back by over 20 years, and have yet to fully recover. The
most watched movie that year, South Korean horror movie “Exhuma”, sold almost 12 million tickets in total. Additionally, like most years, domestic movies dominated box offices. In terms of foreign movies, it is usually only large blockbusters and Disney animations that can compete with domestic movies. This is not just a recent trend, with only three foreign movies appearing among the
all-time most watched movies in South Korea.
The future of South Korean film
While there has been no comparable global hit since “Parasite”, the South Korean film industry is well on its way to post-COVID recovery and enjoying popularity domestically as well as in surrounding countries. The country is still a player on the international broadcast stage via K-dramas, with
“Squid Game” seasons one and two capturing audiences worldwide.
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