Lee Jong-won, right, in a scene from "Salmokji: Whispering Water" / Courtesy of Showbox
Korean horror films, which have struggled to find broad commercial success in recent years, are seeing a quiet resurgence at the local box office, demonstrated over the last three weeks by "Salmokji: Whispering Water."
The film, which opened April 8, crossed 2 million admissions as of Monday, according to the Korean Film Council, becoming the first Korean horror film to reach that milestone since "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum" in 2018.
The success of "Salmokji" is particularly notable given the loss of the prestige and footing for the genre in recent years, which once served as a launch pad for many stars, starting with the "Whispering Corridors" franchise in the 1990s. However, the film's consistent performance suggests that horror is regaining its competitive edge among local movie fans.
The film follows a road survey crew that returns to a remote reservoir to investigate a mysterious figure captured in their footage.
The film went viral shortly after its release, with viewers sharing clips of people reacting with fright during screenings and posting smartwatch screenshots showing spiking heart rates on social media.
The popularity of "Salmokji" has extended beyond the cinema to its actual filming location in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province. As many as 100 cars were reportedly seen heading to the remote reservoir at 3 a.m., leading local authorities to impose nighttime access restrictions for safety. The local county government and Korea Water Resources Corp. also released their own parody videos.
"Salmokji" was made with a modest budget of around 3 billion won ($2.04 million) and features Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as the leads. The actors were chosen for their acting credibility rather than just their star power, following a traditional horror formula where a strong premise and solid performances are more important than expensive productions.
Horror remains one of the few categories where small investments can still yield high returns. By choosing a good story instead of a big budget, "Salmokji" has proven that horror films can still be successful and profitable.
“Horror films gain power when their scariness feels convincing to the audience,” an industry official said, predicting that the genre will continue to survive in the market.
Source: Korea Times News
