Summer box office posts strongest recovery since pandemic

South Korea's movie theaters are enjoying their strongest recovery since the pandemic, driven not only by a surge in overall attendance but also by a rise in repeat viewings, particularly at premium-format screens.

CJ CGV's data strategy team said Wednesday that about 9.55 million moviegoers visited theaters during the summer peak period from July 29 to Aug. 9 — the highest figure for that window since 2019 and a 45.6 percent increase from the same period last year.

CJ CGV attributed part of the gains to what it called "geukkangs" — a portmanteau of the Korean words for movie theater and vacation — describing a trend of consumers seeking a cool, comfortable escape from the summer heat at the cinema.

Visits to CJ CGV locations specifically rose 58.1 percent year-on-year over the same period.

Premium-format screens led the charge, fueled particularly by "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "Odyssey." ScreenX, 4DX and IMAX auditoriums recorded seat occupancy rates of 70 to 80 percent during the period.

Repeat viewings have also surged. Among CJ CGV customers during the period, 11.3 percent saw two or more films, and 56.8 percent of those repeat visitors watched both "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "Odyssey."

In addition, 15.7 percent of repeat visitors saw "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" more than once, and about half used premium-format screens such as ScreenX, 4DX or IMAX.

Moon Byeong-il, head of CJ CGV's data strategy team, said the summer season is showing the strongest recovery since the pandemic, with a relay of blockbuster hits and the popularity of premium formats driving more return visits to theaters.

Moon added that watching the same film multiple times to experience different formats — ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX — appears to be taking hold as a new viewing trend.

Following a strong first half led by domestic titles including "The King's Warden," the momentum has carried into the second half on the back of Hollywood blockbusters, helping theaters shake off a prolonged slump.

The Korean Film Council reported late last month that total box-office revenue for the first half of 2026 reached 579 billion won ($409 million), with overall admissions hitting about 57.05 million — up 41.9 percent and 34.2 percent, respectively, from the same period a year earlier.