Bong Joon Ho’s “Mickey 17” dominates Korean box office with $6.6M opening

The South Korean box office witnessed a dramatic shake-up this weekend as Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 stormed into first place with a commanding $6.6 million opening, securing a massive 69.06% market share. The sci-fi thriller, starring Robert Pattinson, not only dominated ticket sales but also set the highest opening for 2025, surpassing the debut of Captain America: Brave New World.

According to data from Kobis, the tracking service of the Korean Film Council, the weekend of February 28 to March 2 saw a total box office haul of $9 million—more than double the previous weekend’s $4.4 million. Mickey 17 alone accounted for nearly a million admissions across 2,153 screens, benefiting from a strategic Friday release and the added boost of Monday’s Independence Day Movement holiday. Warner Bros. reported a four-day total of KRW12.9 billion ($9 million), with Imax screenings making up 9% of its weekend revenue.

While Mickey 17 soared, Captain America: Brave New World experienced a sharp decline, bringing in $721,841 for a 7.47% market share. The Marvel film, which follows Sam Wilson’s evolution as the new Captain America, attracted 110,888 viewers over the weekend, pushing its cumulative total to $10.5 million.

Korean horror Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning held strong in third place, earning $568,718 and reaching a total of $1.7 million. Meanwhile, romantic drama It’s Okay! debuted in fourth, bringing in $186,691 with 29,779 admissions. Directed by Kim Hye-young, the film tells the story of high schooler In-young, played by Lee Re, as she navigates life after losing her mother in a car accident. Its Berlinale-winning recognition in 2024 has given it a solid foundation, with earnings now at $337,276.

Rounding out the top five, Paddington in Peru pulled in $159,116, pushing its cumulative total to $571,143. The South Korean remake of You Are the Apple of My Eye followed closely in sixth with $151,499, bringing its earnings to $826,449.

The weekend also saw several new releases making their mark. Cheer Up, Korea!, a patriotic documentary, landed in seventh place with a debut of $118,067 and has now reached $144,541. Japanese romance 1st Kiss opened in eighth with $85,423, for a cumulative total of $154,667. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown took ninth with $106,367, bringing its total earnings to $224,506.

Finally, Korean concert documentary Lee Chan-won Concert Anthem: Dear My Chance rounded out the top ten with $255,785, bringing its cumulative earnings to $517,422.

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