SOURCE: ‘왕사남’ 1518억 벌었다…역대 매출액 1위
The film 'The King's Warden' (directed by Jang Hangjun) has become the highest-grossing film in South Korean box office history, earning 151.8 billion KRW.
According to the Korean Film Council on the 29th, 'The King's Warden' topped the box office for the first quarter of 2026, recording 151.8 billion KRW in revenue with 15.73 million viewers. Notably, it surpassed 'Extreme Job' to become the highest-grossing film of all time in terms of revenue.
The film's success also boosted the overall theater industry in the first quarter of this year, with 318 billion KRW in total theater revenue and 31.9 million viewers. This is the highest first-quarter figures since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Given that the film alone surpassed 15 million viewers, it is seen as a major factor behind the year-over-year increase of 58.7% in revenue (117.7 billion KRW) and 53.2% in admissions (11.08 million viewers).
Additionally, the first-quarter revenue for Korean films in 2026 reached 233.3 billion KRW with 24.01 million viewers. This is an increase of 117.5% in revenue (126.1 billion KRW) and 115.1% in admissions (12.85 million people) compared to the first quarter of 2025. Compared to the pre-pandemic averages (2017-2019), Korean film revenue has recovered to 94.5% and admissions to 79.7% of previous averages.
In terms of distributor rankings, Showbox, which distributed three films including 'The King's Warden' and 'Once We Were Us,' ranked No.1 in the first quarter of 2026 with 173.6 billion KRW in revenue (55.4% market share). Second place went to Walt Disney Company Korea, which distributed five films including 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' and 'Zootopia 2,' recording 43.1 billion KRW in revenue (13.6% market share).
Released on February 4, 'The King's Warden' tells the story of young King Danjong (played by Park Jihoon), who was exiled to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol after losing his throne to his uncle Grand Prince Suyang in 1457, and Eom Heungdo (played by Yoo Haejin), the village head assigned to watch over him. The film surpassed 1 million viewers in just 5 days, surpassed its break-even point of 2.6 million in 14 days, and reached 10 million viewers on March 6.
