‘Chiikawa’ Dominates South Korean Box Office as Yeon Sang-ho’s ‘Paradise Lost’ Debuts

The animated phenomenon "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island" maintained a commanding grip on the South Korean box office during the weekend of October 23–25, capturing nearly 45% of nationwide ticket revenue in its fourth frame.

Data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, indicates that the Toho-distributed fantasy release grossed $2.5 million from 320,293 admissions across 1,115 screens, accounting for 44.7% of the weekend market. Directed by Kei Oikawa and adapted from the manga by Nagano, the feature follows its small protagonist and companions on a scenic coastal island where they uncover a local mystery. Sustained family and youth turnout pushed the film's cumulative South Korean haul to $17.5 million from 2,248,137 total admissions since its September 30 launch.

Strong Debuts and Holdovers Shape the Weekend

Director Hur Jin-ho’s political thriller “The Assassin(s)” held second place, earning $502,822 from 68,241 admissions across 730 screens. Distributed by Hive Media Corp, the period drama reconstructs the August 15, 1974, assassination attempt on President Park Chung-hee and stars Yu Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho. The production's theatrical run continues amidst political controversy and defamation complaints from conservative groups regarding its historical depiction. Despite protests that prompted 19 film guilds to issue a joint statement defending cinematic freedom, the film's total box office reached $25 million from 3,374,517 admissions.

Meanwhile, CJ Entertainment’s psychological thriller “Paradise Lost” opened in third place. Directed and co-written by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung, the mystery follows a mother searching for her missing son inside a closed religious community. Following an October 21 mid-week rollout and a world premiere at Toronto, the film generated $502,962 from 66,699 admissions across 803 screens, bringing its cumulative gross to $769,865.

Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ “Clayface” debuted in fourth place, collecting $388,947 from 48,245 admissions across 655 screens, for a total of $595,460 since October 21. CJ ENM’s gambling drama “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub” rounded out the top five in its fifth weekend, taking in $371,743 and standing on the brink of two million total admissions.

The overall box office collective gross for the weekend reached $5.6 million, marking a decline from the previous week's $6.7 million.

Practical Implications and Verification

Readers tracking the South Korean box office can verify official figures and daily admissions data directly through the Korean Film Council's KOBIS tracking service.

• Confirmed Facts: "Chiikawa the Movie" led the weekend box office with $2.5 million in revenue; Yeon Sang-ho's "Paradise Lost" opened in third place; and the total weekend market gross dropped to $5.6 million.
• Uncertainties: The ultimate theatrical longevity of holdover political dramas like "The Assassin(s)" and newly debuted titles amid shifting audience turnout remains subject to weekly market adjustments.
• How to Check: Original box office statistics and distribution breakdowns are cataloged publicly by KOBIS. Further details can be cross-referenced via the original report on [Variety](https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/korea-box-office-chiikawa-paradise-lost-1236930928/).