The film Assassin has emerged as the central driving force behind the box office success of Korean cinema in October.
According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network on the 5th, ‘Assassin’ (directed by Hur Jin-ho, produced by Hive Media Corp, provided/distributed by Hive Media Corp) mobilized 1,665,928 viewers over the past month, ranking 1st at the Korean film box office and 2nd overall.
Furthermore, alongside an overwhelming Korean film theater sales market share of 44.7%, its overall theater sales market share reached 20.4%, solidly demonstrating the influence of Korean cinema in the October theater district.
This represents a meaningful achievement built upon records steadily accumulated since its release. Released on September 23rd, ‘Assassin’ drew 1.5 million viewers within just five days of its premiere, surpassed 3 million viewers in 20 days, ranked in the top 4 for 2026 Korean film box office hits, and maintained the number 1 spot in Korean film weekly and weekend box offices for five consecutive weeks.
Notably, on the 29th of last month, it surpassed 3.4 million cumulative viewers, achieving the valuable milestone of breaking even. Building on this, it claimed the top spot at the October Korean film box office, establishing itself as a representative hit of this autumn.
Meanwhile, ‘Assassin’ traces the suspicions and behind-the-scenes mystery of the assassination of the First Lady, which shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974. Director Hur Jin-ho’s meticulous direction, gripping narrative, and dense performances by actors including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho have drawn enthusiastic responses from audiences. Following its selection as the runner-up for the International Audience Award at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, it has been continuously invited to prominent global film festivals including the 28th Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, 37th Singapore International Film Festival, 21st Paris Korean Film Festival, 46th Hawaii International Film Festival, and 29th Philadelphia Film Festival, proving its critical acclaim globally.
