Actors Mun Ga-yeong, left, and Koo Kyo-hwan in a scene from the movie “Once We Were Us” / Courtesy of Showbox

The Korean film industry is seeing a notable recovery already this year, according to industry experts, as the strong performance of mid-budget movies provides a much-needed boost to a market that has struggled for a long time without any blockbusters.

They said the box office is currently being led by three distinct mid-budget hits: the historical drama "The King’s Warden," the romance"Once We Were Us”and the breakout musical drama "Choir of God." These films, all produced with modest budgets compared to typical blockbusters, are being praised for their storytelling and strong acting rather than relying on massive spectacle.

Leading this resurgence is"The King’s Warden,"directed by Jang Hang-jun. As of Thursday, the movie has garnered over 4.17 million admissions, dominating the Lunar New Year holiday season. Produced on a budget of around 10 billion won ($6.9 million), the film has already easily passed its break-even point and is now the highest-grossing film released so far this year.

Joining this success is "Once We Were Us," starring Mun Ga-young and Koo Kyo-hwan. A remake of the Chinese hit "Us and Them," the movie has consistently attracted audiences by focusing on emotional depth.

Since its release on the last day of 2025, the film has recorded over 2.5 million admissions with a modest budget estimated at 4.5 billion won, proving that there is still a strong market for well-made melodramas.

Actor Park Si-hoo, center, in a scene from "Choir of God" / Courtesy of CJ CGV

Meanwhile, "Choir of God" has emerged as the biggest surprise, recently climbing the box office charts to rival major overseas films like "Avatar: Fire and Ash."

Despite its tiny 1 billion won budget and the difficulties of having a North Korean setting and religious themes, the movie reached 1 million viewers in just 37 days. It currently maintains a strong position in the top five with over 1.2 million admissions.

"The fact that diverse genres like historical drama, romance and even documentaries are ranking high shows that audiences are choosing quality over budget," an official in the local film industry said.

Source: Korea Times News