A scene from the film Yadang: The Snitch (Image provided by Plus M Entertainment)
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — In a striking turn of events at the 2025 Korean box office, Yadang: The Snitch has overtaken Bong Joon-ho’s Hollywood sci-fi epic Mickey 17 to become the year’s top-grossing film—thanks to a slow-burning surge powered by viewer recommendations and strategic release timing.
Mickey 17, one of the most anticipated theatrical releases of the year, opened strong with 250,000 moviegoers on its February release day. Yet, despite early buzz, the film stalled at just over 3 million total admissions—falling short of expectations.
By contrast, Yadang, directed by Hwang Byung-kook, opened more modestly with 80,000 viewers on its first day. But it gradually built momentum, attracting nearly 2.9 million cumulative viewers by its 25th day in theaters, according to Korea’s integrated box office data.
The critical difference? Yadang maintained steady attendance in its second week, whereas Mickey 17 saw attendance plummet by nearly half. Industry insiders now point to second-week turnout—not opening-day scores—as the new barometer for box office success.
Mickey 18 and 17 are shown in this still from “Mickey 17,” provided by Warner Bros. Korea. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
“Before COVID, opening-day numbers dictated a film’s fate,” said a film distribution executive. “Now, viewers take their time, and real audience feedback carries more weight than star power or director reputation.”
The pandemic appears to have fundamentally reshaped audience behavior. With higher ticket prices and increased selectiveness, viewers are relying more on peer reviews and organic buzz. As a result, film distributors have pivoted toward long-term marketing strategies.
Distributor Plus M Entertainment attributed Yadang’s success to a calculated release strategy. Instead of premiering immediately before Korea’s early May “Golden Week” holidays, the film debuted two weeks earlier, allowing time for positive word of mouth to circulate before peak viewing days.
A scene from the film The Match (Image provided by By4M Studio)
“Buzz was our main strategy, and that required time,” a Plus M spokesperson said. “Even when other blockbusters like Thunderbolts, Holy Night: Demon Hunters, and The Old Woman With The Knife premiered, Yadang rebounded quickly to No. 1 because audiences kept recommending it.”
This trend has led other distributors, such as By4M Studio—known for hits like The Firefighters, Hitman 2, and The Match—to rethink their marketing allocations. Instead of front-loading campaigns, By4M spends 60% of its marketing budget before release and 40% after, tailoring post-release content based on real viewer reviews and reactions.
“Every film has a different hook that can spark word of mouth,” said Han Sang-il, head of film and drama at By4M. “We focus on finding and amplifying that hook after the movie opens.”
With “slow-burn hits” replacing blockbuster openers as the new box office success story, the industry consensus is shifting: second-week performance, not opening-day hype, is now the real indicator of a film’s staying power.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
