Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island Dominates South Korean Box Office for Fourth Consecutive Weekend

The South Korean theatrical landscape experienced a notable uptick in momentum over the weekend of November 6–8, as the Japanese animated phenomenon Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island firmly cemented its position at the summit of the national box office. According to the latest data provided by the Korean Film Council’s (KOFIC) KOBIS tracking service, the fantasy feature—distributed by Toho—secured its fourth consecutive weekend victory, proving that the cross-cultural appeal of Nagano’s original manga remains a dominant force among South Korean audiences.

During the period of November 6 to 8, the film generated $1.1 million in revenue from 149,050 individual admissions across 977 screens. This performance allowed the film to capture a significant 23.5% share of the total weekend market. Directed by Kei Oikawa, the film has sustained a remarkable trajectory since its nationwide rollout on September 30. To date, the project has accumulated a total gross of $21 million, fueled by a staggering 2,788,843 total admissions. The consistent performance of this title highlights a growing trend in the Korean market where specialized animated intellectual properties, supported by strong social media engagement and character-driven merchandise, are successfully competing against high-budget live-action releases.

A Competitive Weekend of New Entries

While the top spot remained unchanged, the remainder of the weekend chart saw considerable movement, characterized by the arrival of high-profile domestic thrillers and international releases. The second position was claimed by the corporate mystery thriller Final Interview, a production by Next Entertainment World. Directed by Kim Jung-hoon and based on the bestselling novel by Akinari Asakura, the film earned $787,344 from 104,476 admissions across 957 screens, securing 16.7% of the total theatrical receipts.

The film’s narrative—centered on six job applicants tasked with evaluating one another during a high-stakes, two-hour final interview—has resonated with audiences interested in claustrophobic, psychological tension. The cast, which features prominent names such as Cho Yi-hyun, Kim Jae-won, Shin Seung-ho, Kang You-seok, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Bae Gang-hee, has been lauded for bringing depth to a premise that quickly descends into chaos as dark personal secrets are leaked. Since its mid-week premiere on November 4, the film has grossed $1.2 million with a total of 166,796 admissions, signaling a strong start for the domestic thriller genre in the final quarter of the year.

The Mid-Tier Landscape and International Performers

The third spot was occupied by the sophomore frame of the Sony Pictures and TriStar wilderness survival thriller Heart of the Beast. The film, which features Hollywood icon Brad Pitt, earned $667,817 from 90,679 admissions across 851 screens, accounting for 14.17% of the market share. Since its debut on October 28, the action-adventure feature has reached a cumulative total of $2.7 million from 379,763 viewers. While the film has maintained a steady presence in the top five, it faces stiff competition from the diverse array of localized content currently dominating the Korean screens.

The fourth position was taken by the anime special Detective Conan: The Counterfeit Case of Ultra 30, which debuted on November 5. To mark the 30th anniversary of the legendary franchise, the film pulled in $592,765 from 79,999 admissions across 409 screens, capturing 12.58% of the weekend market. The film’s plot, which follows protagonist Conan Edogawa as he navigates an organized counterfeit banknote scheme linked to a murder, has already accumulated $803,051 from 108,164 admissions. This performance underscores the enduring loyalty of the Detective Conan fanbase in South Korea, where the franchise remains a staple of the annual cinematic calendar.

Rounding out the top five, the Warner Bros. Pictures Animation release The Cat in the Hat opened with $200,431 from 29,259 admissions across 608 screens, representing 4.2% of the market. Since its wide release on November 6, the film has grossed $216,246.

Niche Performance and Premium Ticketing

The sixth position on the admissions chart went to Aniplex’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht: Rising-. While it recorded 25,069 tickets—fewer than the fifth-place finisher—it generated a higher revenue gross of $211,771, capturing 4.4% of the market share. This discrepancy is attributed to the prevalence of premium ticketing options, such as IMAX or 4DX, which are often associated with high-profile anime franchise sequels. Directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and Yukihiro Miyamoto, the long-awaited sequel has grossed $362,956 since its November 4 premiere, highlighting the premium pricing power of specialized anime content.

Further down the list, the anime re-release Attack on Titan: Crimson Arrows took seventh place with $125,629 from 14,448 admissions. The eighth position was held by Searchlight Pictures’ Venice competition title Wild Horse Nine, which debuted with $111,927 from 14,113 admissions. Meanwhile, the political crime thriller The Assassin(s), directed by Hur Jin-ho, continued its impressive theatrical run in ninth place. Despite being in its seventh week of release, the film—which chronicles the 1974 assassination attempt on President Park Chung-hee—added $90,222 to its total, reaching an extraordinary cumulative gross of $25 million from 3,476,553 admissions. The top ten was completed by the workplace comedy Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng, which earned $70,527 for a cumulative total of $688,175.

Broader Market Implications and Analysis

The total market collective gross for the weekend reached $6.2 million, a notable increase from the $5.3 million recorded the previous week. This growth suggests that audiences are increasingly returning to theaters, driven by a blend of long-running animated hits and fresh suspense-driven domestic releases.

From an industry perspective, the success of Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island serves as a case study in the efficacy of building an ecosystem around a franchise. By maintaining its number one position for four consecutive weekends, the film has transcended the typical "opening weekend" spike, suggesting that word-of-mouth and repeat viewings are sustaining its performance. For domestic distributors, the performance of Final Interview and The Assassin(s) demonstrates that there remains a robust appetite for Korean-produced thrillers, provided they feature strong ensemble casts and compelling narrative hooks.

Furthermore, the data regarding Puella Magi Madoka Magica indicates a shift in viewer behavior where fans are willing to pay a premium for high-quality, specialized cinematic experiences. This trend is likely to influence future release strategies, with distributors increasingly looking to leverage premium formats for niche but passionate fandoms.

As the fourth quarter progresses, the South Korean box office appears to be stabilizing. The diverse mix of genres currently in theaters—ranging from children’s animation and anniversary specials to political dramas and psychological thrillers—reflects a healthy, multifaceted market. While Hollywood imports continue to play a role, the consistent dominance of Japanese animation and Korean-produced thrillers suggests a local market that is increasingly defined by the preferences of its own domestic audience rather than global trends alone. Industry analysts will continue to monitor whether the upcoming late-year releases can maintain this $6 million-plus weekly revenue threshold, which serves as a critical benchmark for the health of the post-pandemic exhibition sector.