The world is starting to enjoy and notice how wonderful the storylines and beautiful cinematography Korean movies offer! A lot of people are into watching Korean drama series as well, while movies are getting popular internationally, and the viewers don't mind reading subtitles.
The following films are listed according to the number of tickets sold nationwide from 2004 to 2020 by KOBIS (ticketing) statistics Korean Film Council (KOFIC).
Here's the list of the top 10 domestic films in South Korea based on ticket sales:
10. King and the Clown (2005)
Admission: 12,302,831
During the 16th-century Chosun Dynasty, two struggling actors mock the king while performing an act and got arrested. They have to make the king laugh so their lives will be spared. Surprisingly, the king loved their act and became jesters of the palace.
9. Masquerade (2012)
Admission: 12,324,002
A story of a King that hired someone who looks like him to sit in the throne when he figured out someone in the palace planned to poison him. And eventually, the enemies of the king started noticing his humane side and plan their next move.
8. Assassination (2015)
Admission: 12,706,819
It is a story about an assassination plot to take out a pro-Japanese group that takes place in the 1930s. A female sniper is determined to do her mission to see Korea's independence.
7. Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013)
Admission: 12,811,435
The film circles around the life of a mentally-challenged person who was wrongfully accused of murder and was sentenced. He built meaningful relationships with his cellmates, who, in turn, helped him see his daughter from time to time by smuggling her inside the prison.
6. The Thieves (2012)
Admission: 12,983,976
The two groups of thieves from South Korea and Hong Kong work together to pull off the biggest heist of their lives.
5. Veteran (2015)
Admission: 13,414,200
It is about a detective that persistently runs after an arrogant millionaire, also an heir to a powerful conglomerate Sinjin Group. No matter what he does to catch, him the millionaire always escapes thru his connections.
4. Ode to My Father (2014)
Admission: 14,263,203
A family-oriented film, it tells a story about the lives of people who go through the difficult times after the Korean War to the present day. A story of how people got separated from their families during the time of distress.
3. Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)
Admission: 14,411,502
The leader of the angel of deaths cannot stop himself from taking part in human affairs though prohibited. Their job is to escort a person who died recently and will have seven trials over the 49-day period.
2. Extreme Job (2019)
Admission: 16,264,944
It is a story of 5 detectives that went undercover in an attempt to take down a criminal organization. They pretended to be employees at a chicken restaurant, but the restaurant got famous unexpectedly because of its delicious chicken, which put them in a dangerous situation.
The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)
Admission: 17,615,437
On October 26, 1957, the epic Battle of Myeongryang took place. It was a war against Korea and Japan. Admiral Yi Sun-Shin leads the battle with only 12 against Japanese navy ships of more than a hundred.
