“Amidst a general slump in theaters, horror movies are drawing young audiences back to the cinema.”
This line was written in an article back in June 1998. Fast forward 28 years, and it is still true! With the support of Gen MZ and Gen Alpha, the horror film ‘Salmokji’ has surpassed 3 million viewers, bringing a breath of fresh air to the struggling theater scene. Additionally, the Netflix horror series ‘Girigo’, released on the 24th of last month, climbed to #1 in the non-English TV show category in just two weeks. It seems the sensation-seeking nature of the younger generation is driving the popularity of horror.
‘Salmokji’ and ‘Girigo’… The Thrill of Experiential Horror
As of the 10th, the 33rd day since its release, ‘Salmokji’ has attracted 3.02 million viewers. This is nearly four times its break-even point of 800,000. At this rate, it is expected to surpass the final score of ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ (3.14 million in 2003), the all-time top-grossing horror film, for the first time in 23 years.
‘Salmokji’ is a horror film where a filming team heads to a reservoir after a mysterious figure is captured on a road-view camera, only to encounter something lurking in the deep, dark waters. The movie stars mostly young, rookie actors like Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won, and is helmed by new director Lee Sang-min (born 1995). In other words, it is not a movie that relied on big-name stars.
The popularity of ‘Salmokji’ is rooted in hyper-realism. Folklore and ghost stories related to the Salmokji (Sanmuk) reservoir in Yesan, Chungnam, have already been featured on several TV programs. To differentiate the story, Director Lee enhanced the “experiential horror” by maximizing auditory effects. Director Lee stated, “I wanted to give the audience the experience of being possessed by a water ghost. My goal was to create a fear that feels like it is happening to you,” and this direction hit the mark.
Since the movie’s release, YouTube has been flooded with “I actually visited Salmokji” experience videos. The reservoir in Yesan County, the setting of the film, has rapidly emerged as a famous tourist spot, even earning the nickname “Salridan-gil.”
‘Girigo’ is also an extension of experiential horror. The plot centers on an app that grants wishes but places a curse on the person who made the wish. As part of the promotion, Netflix created a real app called ‘Girigo’, which is currently very popular on the Google App Store. As of the 11th, it is the #1 download in the entertainment category.
Professor Kwak Geum-joo from Seoul National University’s Department of Psychology analyzed, “Younger generations, such as those in their 10s and 20s, have a ‘sensation-seeking’ tendency. They gain pleasure through risk-taking behavior, which is similar to the psychological satisfaction gained from watching horror movies.” She added, “While watching horror, the pain and stress from reality are dispersed. It allows them to briefly escape from the pressures of employment or economic hardship.”
Why Has Horror Become the Domain of the Youth?
According to multiplex CGV, the reservation rate for ‘Salmokji’ is highest among those in their 20s (35%), followed by those in their 30s (23%), with 10s (14%) also showing a higher proportion compared to other films. Out of the 3.02 million total viewers, 72% are in their 10s to 30s.
Horror films tend to have young casts as well as young audiences. This is a common formula for the genre. Since horror movies are produced on relatively low budgets, they often cast fresh rookie actors instead of established stars with high fees. Because of this, the genre is often called a “training ground” or a gateway for actors.
The ‘Whispering Corridors’ series is a prime example. Actors like Choi Kang-hee, Kim Ok-bin, Song Ji-hyo, and Park Ye-jin rose to lead roles through this series. Ha Ji-won also made a name for herself as a “horror queen” in movies like ‘Scissors’ and ‘Phone’. Im Soo-jung and Moon Geun-young also saw their recognition grow significantly thanks to ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’.
This trend continues today. The horror movie ‘Gonjiam’, based on the Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital and attracting 2.68 million viewers, produced stars like Wi Ha-jun, Park Ji-hyun, and Park Sung-hoon. Similarly, Lee Jong-won, Yoon Jae-chan, and Jang Da-ah from ‘Salmokji’, as well as Jeon So-young, Kang Mi-na, Baek Sun-ho, and Lee Hyo-je from ‘Girigo’, are now gaining attention. Director Park Yoon-seo, who directed ‘Girigo’, explained, “I agonized over whether to cast established or rookie actors. Since it is a genre that can be difficult to watch, I needed the bright images of young actors to offset that.”
Professor Kwak added, “It is rare to see a biker gang in their 60s, right? Older generations tend to avoid stimulation. Therefore, it is natural to depict young people challenging scary situations in these works, and viewers of the same age gain vicarious satisfaction from watching them.”
