Korea Box Office: Anime Phenomenon ‘Chiikawa’ Remains Unstoppable as Yeon Sang-ho Thriller ‘Paradise Lost’ Debuts
“Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” remained South Korea’s top film for a fourth weekend, taking nearly 45% of ticket revenue. Its continued success highlights strong audience demand for the Japanese animation, while Yeon Sang-ho’s thriller “Paradise Lost” opened in third place.
“Chiikawa” earned $2.5 million from 320,293 admissions over 23–25 October, bringing its total to $17.5 million and 2.25 million admissions. “The Assassin(s)” placed second with $520,822, while “Paradise Lost” took $502,962; the latter has earned $769,865 including its mid-week release. “Clayface” debuted fourth, and “The Odyssey” reached $106.2 million in its twelfth weekend.
In short
- “Chiikawa” held first place for a fourth weekend.
- It earned $2.5 million and reached $17.5 million overall.
- “Paradise Lost” opened third with $502,962.
Explained simply
South Korea’s box office tracks cinema ticket sales and admissions, with weekly rankings showing which films are drawing audiences. A film’s takings reflect ticket revenue, while admissions count the number of people who saw it.
“Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” is a Japanese animated film based on the Chiikawa characters. Yeon Sang-ho is a South Korean filmmaker known for directing thrillers, including “Paradise Lost”; their different styles offer audiences a choice between animation and suspense.
The films’ performance gives cinemas and distributors a measure of audience demand and can shape how long a film stays in cinemas or where it is released. Korean ticket rankings also show how local and international films fare in the same market.