Japanese โAnimation Dominates Korean Box Office,Reflecting Shiftingโ Fandom Power
SEOUL – A surge in โpopularityโ for Japanese animated filmsโ – dubbed the “Gwiju Top” consisting of Demon Slayer,Chainsaw Man,and Spellbound: Death Retreat – has dramatically reshaped the Korean box office this year,attracting a dedicated 2030 generation fanbase and prompting a re-evaluation of theatrical distribution strategies.โข spellbound: Death retreat opened to crowded theatersโค and โtopped advance sales, continuing a trend established โคearlier this year.
The success builds on the momentum of Demon Slayer: Infinity Edge, which drew 540,000 viewers on its opening dayโฃ andโ ultimatelyโ amassed 5.66 million viewers โคnationwide. Chainsaw Man: Reze version followed,reaching 3.3 million viewers. โThis โwave of popularity signals a broader acceptance of “otaku”โข culture, now considered a mainstream force driving theatrical attendance, according to Gu Bon-seung, representative of the import company for Demon Slayer: Infinity Edge.”We have already moved beyond the period when we talked about ‘otaku’ culture very limitedly, andโ that fandom culture has now become popular and is leadingโข the publicโฆ”
The films resonate with a generation born in the 2000s, whoโ grew up with these comics and their animated adaptations. Viewers like Lee Dong-hee explain theโค appeal: โ”I think our age group hadโฃ a preference for the โkind of feeling that only animation can create, and because we were more exposed โขto the original cartoonโฆ”
Despite similar plot structures – an unknown threat to humanity and a protagonist gaining powers to fight back – the films’ appeal extends beyond narrative. Audiences are drawn to the intense action sequences and morally ambiguous characters. “If you fight mercilessly, dopamine explodesโฆ” noted Kim Byeol, a moviegoer. Kang Yu-sin added,โค “Rather than encouraging and punishing evil, even bad guysโ were actually goodโค guys (there are many of them).”
The accessibility of the source material via OTT platforms has lowered โtheโฃ barrier to โคentry โfor theatrical viewings, while theโ desire for a high-quality cinematic experience and repeat viewings – mirroring the practice of rereading favorite manga – areโค driving attendance. “Because action โscenes have a lot of contentโฆ” said Kang Yu-sin,โค while Lee dong-hee cited “the desire to see a spectacular production โขin โa good theaterโฆ”
This success suggests a โฃshift in โฃthe Korean film market, indicating a need to prioritize catering to dedicated fandoms over relying solely on films intended forโ broad national appeal, particularly as the number of films reaching 10 million viewers domestically has declined.