“A Record-Breaking Hit!” ‘Salmokji’ Surpasses 3.15 Million Viewers to Become the All-Time #1 Korean Horror Movie, Proving Kim Hye-yoon’s ‘Horror Queen’ Power

The landscape of Korean horror has completely shifted for the first time in 23 years! The movie ‘Salmokji’ has soared to the top of the all-time Korean horror box office, surpassing the legendary hit ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticket network on the 17th, ‘Salmokji’ officially surpassed 3.15 million cumulative viewers. With this, it has set a massive record as the #1 all-time Korean horror film, breaking the long-standing wall of Director Kim Jee-woon’s 2003 masterpiece ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’.

Now entering its 6th week of release, ‘Salmokji’ is firmly maintaining its top spot at the box office despite fierce competition from Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Michael’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’, as well as the global IP hit ‘Super Mario Galaxy’. Powerful word-of-mouth and glowing reviews from audiences are acting as the main engine for its long-term dominance in theaters.

At the center of this syndrome is the versatile performance of actress Kim Hye-yoon. After establishing herself as the undisputed ‘Rom-com Queen’ through the tvN drama ‘Lovely Runner’, Kim Hye-yoon has now completely conquered the desperate and eerie horror genre, revealing a totally new side of herself and earning praise from both critics and audiences.

Additionally, the fresh perspective of Director Lee Sang-min, who showcased sensory direction in his first feature film, combined with the tight acting ensemble of Lee Jong-won, Kim Jun-han, Kim Young-sung, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan, and rookie Jang Da-ah, is being hailed as proof of a perfect generational shift in Korean horror cinema.

Meanwhile, ‘Salmokji’, which has written a new history for K-horror, is a mystery horror film about a filming team that visits a mysterious reservoir to reshoot after an unidentified figure is captured on an internet road view, only to encounter a cruel existence in the deep, dark waters. It is currently playing in theaters nationwide.