[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Korean films, which had virtually disappeared from theaters this summer, overshadowed by major foreign blockbusters, are set to make a massive comeback ahead of the Chuseok holiday. With the theater scene regaining its vitality for the first time in a while—led by blockbusters such as *Hope*, *Spider-Man: A Brand New Day*, and *The Odyssey*—all eyes are on how many viewers Korean films will be able to attract.

According to the film industry on the 27th, the box office in September is expected to see a wider range of choices for audiences, with new releases across various genres—including Korean films, foreign films, and animated films—opening one after another.
During July and August—considered the peak season for the film industry—audiences tended to flock to blockbusters, leading to a noticeable trend of postponing the releases of small- and medium-scale Korean films. In fact, Director Na Hong-jin’s *Hope* was virtually the only Korean film to achieve box office success this summer. In contrast, Hollywood blockbusters such as *Spider-Man: A Brand-New Day* from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Director Christopher Nolan’s *The Martian* enjoyed consecutive box office successes, drawing audiences back to theaters.

Consequently, Korean films have adopted a strategy of concentrating their releases in the fall—around the Chuseok holiday—to avoid the summer peak season. Starting with *A Trip to Gyeongju* on the 26th, films such as *Bi-gwang*, *Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub*, *The Assassin(s)*, *The Intern*, and *The Resurrected Man: The Red* will be released to audiences. Director Lee Chang-dong’s new film *Possible Love*, his first in eight years, is also drawing attention after confirming a September theatrical release ahead of its November premiere on Netflix.
The lineup of foreign films and animated films also adds to the diversity. Among foreign films, solid new small-to-mid-budget releases such as “The Last Day on Oak Street,” “Obsession,” “The Drama,” and “Sing Again” are set to hit theaters. In the animation sector, *Inuyasha: The Movie* and *Chii-Kawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island* will be seeking audiences. With the re-release of *The Girl Who Leapt Through Time* also scheduled, a competitive landscape different from the summer—when audiences were concentrated on specific blockbusters—is expected to emerge.

As a result, the fall movie market has moved away from the concentration on mega-blockbusters typical of the summer peak season, with Korean films, foreign films, and animated movies each forming a multifaceted competitive landscape based on their own strengths.
The industry is watching to see if the box office momentum—fueled this past spring by the “The Man Who Lives with the King” phenomenon, which drew 10 million viewers, and this summer by major foreign releases such as “The Odyssey” and “Spider-Man: A Brand New Day”—will carry over to Korean films this fall. There is hope that if a diverse range of Korean films can win over audiences, it could serve as a catalyst to breathe new life into the stagnant Korean film market.
However, there is also a possibility that the disparity in box office performance between individual films will widen. Given the ongoing trend toward a viewing culture centered on blockbusters, if the Korean films flooding the market during the Chuseok holiday fail to demonstrate their individual competitiveness, audiences may flock to only a select few titles—just as they did this summer.
A film industry insider noted, “Unlike the summer, when audiences flocked only to blockbusters, the wider range of choices in the fall is a positive development,” but added, “Since new releases aimed at the Chuseok holiday peak are flooding the market all at once, polarization could intensify depending on initial word-of-mouth and actual audience reviews. Ultimately, original storytelling and production quality will determine a film’s box office success or failure.”