[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Today, the last day of September, new films across a variety of genres are hitting theaters. With films targeting different audience demographics opening one after another, the box office competition in the fall is expected to heat up in earnest.

According to the film industry on the 30th, films such as “The Resurrected Man: The Red,” “The Chii-Kawa Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island,” “Alpha,” “The Stranger,” “Family Trip,” and “Stitch Head: The Little Monster of the Secret Castle” are opening today. With Korean films such as *Assassins* and *Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub* dominating the top spots at the box office during the Chuseok holiday, these new releases are joining the lineup of options for moviegoers.
In particular, the pre-release momentum of the Japanese animated film *Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island* is noteworthy. On the morning of the 30th, its opening day, it recorded 224,150 advance tickets sold, ranking first in overall advance ticket sales. Having secured the highest number of advance tickets among new releases opening immediately after the Chuseok holiday, all eyes are on whether this will translate into box office success following its actual release.
“Chiikawa” is a theatrical animation film based on a popular Japanese character intellectual property (IP). It brings the popularity of the original series—known for its small, cute characters and unique world-building—to the big screen. As the characters’ recognition has grown in Korea, the film is drawing interest from audiences in their teens and twenties, as well as from fans of the characters and animation.
“The Resurrected Man: The Red” (The Resurrected Man), starring actor Koo Kyohwan, also hits theaters today. Based on a popular webtoon, this action film stars Koo Kyo-hwan alongside Shin Seung-ho, Kang Ki-young, and Kim Si-ah. It tells the story of a job seeker who gains the ability to come back to life 72 hours after death and becomes entangled in an unexpected incident. With its exhilarating action and a short runtime of 101 minutes, it offers a different option from “Chiikawa.”

In addition to these two films, movies spanning various genres are also opening simultaneously. “Alpha” is a body-themed film in which the 13-year-old girl Alpha confronts the abysmal horror, stigma, and hatred associated with the “A” tattoo etched on her body; it is the latest work from director Julia Ducournau, known for “Low” and “Titane.” The film received critical acclaim and won the CST Artist Technician Award at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
*The Stranger*, based on the novel of the same name, aims to set itself apart by highlighting its literary origins. It has been reborn under the direction of François Ozon, one of France’s most provocative and renowned masters.
“Family Trip,” starring actress Lee Hwi-hyang, and the animated film “Stitch Head: The Little Monster of the Secret Castle” will also appeal to different audiences.
With these new releases hitting theaters simultaneously, competition with the Chuseok holiday blockbusters is expected to heat up. While “The Assassin(s)” and “Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub,” which drew large crowds during the holiday, continue their runs, existing box office hits like “The Odyssey” and “The Intern” remain in theaters. With “Chiikawa” and “The Resurrected Man” joining the lineup as new options, the competition for audiences is becoming even more diverse.
In particular, attention is focused on whether “Chiikawa” can translate its lead in advance ticket sales into box office success. Another key point to watch is how well new releases, including “The Resurrected Man,” will be able to attract audiences amid the existing blockbusters. The performance of the final new releases in September will not only reveal where audiences’ preferences are headed after Chuseok but also serve as an indicator of the trends in the October box office.
In October, highly anticipated films such as “The Digger,” starring Tom Cruise, and director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film “Look Back” are set to be released one after another, and competition in the fall box office is expected to become even more intense.