#1 of 74 #1 Korean-language movie of 2019
2019 · Drama, Thriller
$262.6M worldwide · 31% of the chart's total
$53.8M US & Canada · 21% $208.8M elsewhere · 79%
Korean box office · 2019
Korean Box Office 2019: Highest-Grossing Korean Movies
Parasite (2019) is the highest-grossing Korean-language movie released in 2019, with $262.6M worldwide, ahead of Extreme Job (2019) at $119.9M and Ashfall (2019) at $61.4M. 74 Korean-language films released in 2019 report a worldwide gross, $835.7M in all, 7% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 39% on 2018, whose releases took $601.6M. By genre, Comedy leads with $494.9M across 21 Korean releases.
- 2019 releases with a gross
- 74
- combined worldwide
- $835.7M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs 2018
- +39%
#1 of 74 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Korean Hits of 2019?
Parasite (2019) leads with $262.6M, 31% of the total. The top 5 together took $505.7M, 61% of what all 74 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Korean Release of 2019, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 74. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2019.
- 1 Oct 11, 2019 US and Canada: $53.8M Rest of the world: $208.8M Worldwide: $262.6M
- 2 Jan 25, 2019 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: $118.4M Worldwide: $119.9M
- 3 Dec 19, 2019 US and Canada: $372.6K Rest of the world: $61M Worldwide: $61.4M
- 4 Aug 7, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $34.1M
- 5 Oct 23, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $27.7M
- 6
Jun 7, 2019 US and Canada: $216.5K Rest of the world: $25.6M Worldwide: $25.8M - 7
Dec 18, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $24.1M - 8
Oct 2, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21.4M - 9
Nov 13, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.9M - 10
May 31, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.6M - 11
Feb 13, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.2M - 12
Sep 11, 2019 US and Canada: $97.7K Rest of the world: $17.1M Worldwide: $17.2M - 13
Nov 7, 2019 US and Canada: $67.6K Rest of the world: $15.6M Worldwide: $15.6M - 14
Jan 9, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $14.7M - 15
Dec 26, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $13.9M - 16
Jan 30, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $13.5M - 17
Aug 7, 2019 US and Canada: $4.8M Rest of the world: $7.3M Worldwide: $12.2M - 18
May 9, 2019 US and Canada: $104.6K Rest of the world: $12M Worldwide: $12.1M - 19
Aug 16, 2019 US and Canada: $103K Rest of the world: $11.7M Worldwide: $11.8M - 20
May 1, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.7M - 21
Oct 2, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.9M - 22
Sep 11, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.7M - 23
Nov 5, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.5M - 24
Feb 27, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.1M - 25
Jun 19, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.8M - 26
Apr 25, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.7M - 27
Aug 21, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.4M - 28
Sep 5, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.4M - 29
Sep 25, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.8M - 30
Dec 4, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1M - 31
Apr 11, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.1M - 32
Mar 20, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2M - 33
Feb 13, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.9M - 34
Jul 10, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.9M - 35
Apr 3, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.8M - 36
2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.6M - 37
May 22, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.4M - 38
Jul 10, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2M - 39
Feb 27, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 40
Aug 15, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 41
Oct 12, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $777K - 42
Jan 16, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $644.2K - 43
Oct 29, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $537.2K - 44
Feb 27, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $515.8K - 45
Apr 17, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $339.4K - 46
Aug 22, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $339.4K - 47
Oct 4, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $261.8K - 48
Oct 4, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $219.6K - 49
Apr 18, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $205.2K - 50
Feb 15, 2019 US and Canada: $28.4K Rest of the world: $128.1K Worldwide: $156.4K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2019?
Of the top 10, Parasite (2019) earned the biggest share at home (21% in the US & Canada), while Ashfall (2019) made 99% of its gross abroad. Across all 74 films, $61.4M (7%) came from the US & Canada. 6 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Parasite (2019) $262.6M $53.8M US & Canada · 21% $208.8M elsewhere · 79%
- 2 Extreme Job (2019) $119.9M $1.6M US & Canada · 1% $118.4M elsewhere · 99%
- 3 Ashfall (2019) $61.4M $372.6K US & Canada · <1% $61M elsewhere · 99%
- 4 The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) $34.1M No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 (2019) $27.7M No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019) $25.8M $216.5K US & Canada · <1% $25.6M elsewhere · 99%
- 7 Start-Up (2019) $24.1M No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Crazy Romance (2019) $21.4M No US & Canada figure reported
- 9 Black Money (2019) $17.9M No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019) $17.6M No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 2019 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 74 films crossed $100M and took $382.5M between them, 46% of the total. 54 films, 73% of the list, earned under $10M.
46% 44% 10%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 2 films, 3% of the list $382.5M · 46% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 18 films, 24% of the list $368.9M · 44% of the gross
- Under $10M 54 films, 73% of the list $84.3M · 10% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2019 Earned the Most?
October releases took the most, $322.9M from 16 films, led by Parasite (2019). March was the quietest month ($2.2M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Extreme Job (2019) $150.3M Extreme Job (2019)
- February Feb Innocent Witness (2019) $29.2M Innocent Witness (2019)
- March Mar Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage (2019) $2.2M Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage (2019)
- April Apr Pororo: Treasure Island Adventure (2019) $9.4M Pororo: Treasure Island Adventure (2019)
- May May Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019) $42.5M Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)
- June Jun The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019) $33.6M The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)
- July Jul Homme Fatale (2019) $3.2M Homme Fatale (2019)
- August Aug The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) $63.9M The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019)
- September Sep Tazza: One Eyed Jack (2019) $34.1M Tazza: One Eyed Jack (2019)
- October Oct Parasite (2019) $322.9M Parasite (2019)
- November Nov Black Money (2019) $42M Black Money (2019)
- December Dec Ashfall (2019) $102.6M Ashfall (2019)
Last 10 years
How Does 2019 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2019 earned the most: $835.7M from 74 films, led by Parasite (2019).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 45 films | 45 | $385.6M | – | Blades of Blood (2010) $82.2M |
| 2011 38 films · −11% | 38 | $343.9M | −11% | Sunny (2011) $51.1M |
| 2012 40 films · +33% | 40 | $456.2M | +33% | The Thieves (2012) $87.1M |
| 2013 36 films · +21% | 36 | $553.9M | +21% | Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013) $82.1M |
| 2014 40 films · −5% | 40 | $526.4M | −5% | The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) $138.3M |
| 2015 47 films · +26% | 47 | $665.7M | +26% | Ode to My Father (2015) $184.8M |
| 2016 75 films · +4% | 75 | $691.3M | +4% | Train to Busan (2016) $92.8M |
| 2017 59 films · ±0% | 59 | $688.3M | ±0% | Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) $109.4M |
| 2018 67 films · −13% | 67 | $601.6M | −13% | Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018) $99.1M |
| 2019 74 films · +39% | 74 | $835.7M | +39% | Parasite (2019) $262.6M |
By genre
Which Korean Genres Earned the Most in 2019?
Comedy took $494.9M across 21 films, 59% of the total, ahead of Drama ($474.7M) and Thriller ($381.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
2019 Korean Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $494.9M21 films · #1 Parasite (2019) -
Drama $474.7M48 films · #1 Parasite (2019) -
Thriller $381.3M13 films · #1 Parasite (2019) -
Action $344.4M13 films · #1 Extreme Job (2019) -
Crime $118.7M12 films · #1 The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019) -
Adventure $66M2 films · #1 Ashfall (2019) -
History $62.5M5 films · #1 The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) -
Romance $35.3M10 films · #1 Crazy Romance (2019) -
War $34.1M1 film · #1 The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) -
Mystery $24.3M5 films · #1 Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)
Archive
Korean Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1958 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $835.7M, led by Parasite (2019).
2020s 7 years · $1.7B
2010s 10 years · $5.7B
- 2019 $835.7M #1 Parasite (2019)
- 2018 $601.6M #1 Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018)
- 2017 $688.3M #1 Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)
- 2016 $691.3M #1 Train to Busan (2016)
- 2015 $665.7M #1 Ode to My Father (2015)
- 2014 $526.4M #1 The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014)
- 2013 $553.9M #1 Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013)
- 2012 $456.2M #1 The Thieves (2012)
- 2011 $343.9M #1 Sunny (2011)
- 2010 $385.6M #1 Blades of Blood (2010)
2000s 10 years · $2.1B
- 2009 $310M #1 Tidal Wave (2009)
- 2008 $305.4M #1 The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
- 2007 $334.2M #1 May 18 (2007)
- 2006 $363.5M #1 200 Pounds Beauty (2006)
- 2005 $451.5M #1 The King and the Clown (2005)
- 2004 $160.1M #1 Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
- 2003 $35.3M #1 My Tutor Friend (2003)
- 2002 $172.3M #1 Sex Is Zero (2002)
- 2001 $1.8M #1 Friend (2001)
- 2000 $943.7K #1 Grass (2000)
1990s 5 years · $16.3M
1980s 3 years · $12.4M
1970s 2 years · $3.9M
1960s 3 years · $4.5M
1950s 1 year · $8M
FAQ
Korean Box Office 2019: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 74 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing Korean-language movie in 2019?
Parasite (2019) leads with $262.6M worldwide, $53.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Extreme Job (2019) at $119.9M and Ashfall (2019) at $61.4M.
How much did Korean-language movies released in 2019 earn?
74 Korean-language films released in 2019 report a worldwide gross, $835.7M in all, or $11.3M per film on average. 2018 releases took $601.6M.
How many Korean-language movies released in 2019 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Parasite (2019) with $262.6M.
How is the 2019 Korean box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 2019. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 2019 Korean box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.