[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] The animated film “Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” drew more than 150,000 viewers on Hangeul Day alone, surpassing 1 million cumulative viewers on its 10th day in theaters.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the 10th, “Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” drew 152,104 viewers the previous day. The cumulative audience total stands at 1,025,694.
As the holiday period began, the growth in audience numbers accelerated sharply. While the daily attendance on the 7th was 49,227, it more than tripled to 152,104 on the 9th, which was Hangul Day. This is interpreted as pre-existing demand, driven by the character’s fanbase, translating into holiday attendance.
The outlook for the weekend box office is also bright. As of 8:00 a.m. on the 10th, advance ticket sales stood at 102,779—ranking first among all films. This is 42,220 more than the 60,559 tickets sold for “The Assassin(s),” which ranked second. By maintaining the top spot in advance ticket sales even after surpassing the 1 million mark, the film has strengthened its prospects for a long-term box office run.
The film’s box office momentum is also remarkable. Released on the 30th of last month, it reached the 1 million mark in just 10 days. This is one day faster than *Project Hail Mary*, which opened last March and drew 2.91 million viewers, and two days faster than *Chainsaw Man: The Movie – The Reze Chapter*, which attracted 3.46 million viewers last year.
Although the film features popular characters, its box office success isn’t driven solely by cuteness. The film’s unsettling world-building—which contrasts with its bright visuals—and its unexpected plot twists have sparked online buzz, expanding its audience beyond fans of the original work. High viewer satisfaction—including a 9.1 rating from actual viewers on Naver and a 94% CGV Golden Egg Index—is also fueling word-of-mouth.
As a result, “Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” has ranked among the top three highest-grossing animated films released this year, following “Toy Story 5” and “Super Mario Galaxy.” If the upward trend in audience numbers observed on Hangul Day continues through the weekend, the film is expected to maintain its lead in the race for the top spots.
“Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” tells the story of Chiikawa and her friends, who set off for an unknown island after being promised high pay, only to encounter the secrets hidden there.