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A Weekend Haul of 1.11 Million Puts It in the Lead
The film ‘Assassin(s)’ drew the largest crowds of the Chuseok holiday season, holding the top box office spot for five consecutive days after its release. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, the film sold 1,119,154 tickets over the three days from September 25 to 27. Since opening on September 23, it has topped the daily box office every single day, pushing its cumulative audience to 1,566,220 as of the September 28 tally.
Starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho and produced by Hive Media Corp, ‘Assassin(s)’ got the jump on the other new Korean films competing for the same audience over the holiday. Looking at weekend admissions alone, it outsold the second-place film by more than 550,000 tickets. A strong opening weekend doesn’t guarantee long-term box office success, but coming out ahead in the first wave of holiday moviegoing is a meaningful edge.
Chuseok is one of Korea’s biggest movie-going seasons, when families and holiday travelers alike flock to theaters. Because distributors tend to release their biggest Korean titles around the same time, how a film performs on opening weekend often shapes its momentum for weeks afterward. ‘Assassin(s)’ holding the No. 1 spot for five days straight right out of the gate means it locked in the early audience before its competitors could catch up.
‘Tazza’ Takes Second, ‘Odyssey’ Keeps Its Long Run Alive
Second place went to ‘Tazza: The Song of Belzebub.’ The film sold 565,527 tickets over the same three days, bringing its total to 833,031. Two new Korean films aimed squarely at the Chuseok crowd ended up occupying the top two spots, but ‘Assassin(s)’ came out ahead on both the weekend count and the cumulative total. The head-to-head matchup that had been anticipated since before either film opened has delivered its first result, with ‘Assassin(s)’ on top.
Third place belonged to ‘Odyssey,’ which added 364,763 admissions over the weekend to reach a cumulative 11,783,297. That a film with such a large existing audience held on to third place even as a wave of new titles hit theaters over the holiday says something about its staying power. This ranking reflects both the intensity of competition among Chuseok newcomers and the lingering pull of an already-successful release.
Fourth place went to ‘The Intern’ with 206,349 admissions, and fifth to ‘Possible Love’ with 72,022. Four of the top five films were Korean productions, the sole exception being ‘Odyssey.’ Rather than any single film dominating the market, this Chuseok’s box office was shaped by several Korean releases clustering near the top, with ‘Assassin(s)’ and ‘Tazza: The Song of Belzebub’ leading the pack.
Advance Ticket Sales Favor ‘Chiikawa’
The competitive picture just after the holiday, however, already looks different. As of September 28, the film leading in advance ticket sales was the Japanese animated feature ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island,’ set to open on the 30th. Its pre-sale tally of 159,103 tickets had already overtaken the current top box office titles.
‘Odyssey’ held second place in advance sales with 63,476 tickets, and ‘Assassin(s)’ came in third with 52,173. While ‘Assassin(s)’ led in actual admissions over the Chuseok holiday, the new animated film has captured more attention among audiences planning ahead. Box office rankings capture who has already watched a film, while advance sales point to demand that hasn’t been realized yet, which is worth keeping in mind when comparing the two metrics.
New Releases on September 30 Could Reshuffle the Rankings
September 30 brings not only ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island’ but also ‘Rebirth: The Red,’ starring Gu Kyo-hwan. With these new titles joining the two existing Korean releases and the long-running ‘Odyssey,’ each courting a different segment of moviegoers, the competition for screens and audiences is about to start over.
By the numbers, ‘Assassin(s)’ is the first-round winner of the Chuseok box office. Whether the momentum it built over the holiday carries into the weekdays and the following weekend is a separate question. Long-term box office success depends on limiting the drop-off once holiday demand fades and holding on to screening slots. Whether ‘Assassin(s)’ can stay ahead of the pack after the animated film with strong advance sales and the new Korean action title open will be the next milestone to watch.
Sources: Korea Film Council integrated ticketing network; Edaily, September 28, 2026.
