Korea Box Office: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Rings in 2026 at No. 1

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” continued to dominate the Korean box office over the Jan. 2–4 weekend, grossing $5.2 million from 630,640 admissions. According to KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, the latest installment in James Cameron’s sci-fi franchise has now amassed $44.4 million in Korea since its Dec. 17 release.

Debuting in second place was South Korean romantic drama “Once We Were Us,” which opened with $1.8 million from 263,925 admissions. Directed by Kim Tae-yong, the film follows two former lovers who unexpectedly cross paths years after their breakup, confronting unresolved emotions and the lives they have built apart. The picture stars Park Bo-young and Yoo Yeon-seok and has grossed $3.2 million to date.

“Zootopia 2” placed third, adding $1.6 million for the frame and lifting its cumulative total to $53.9 million, reinforcing its status as one of the top-grossing animated releases in Korea.

In fourth, “Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight” earned $789,934, bringing its total to $4.4 million. Directed by Kim Hye-young and based on the novel by Ichijo Misaki, the film stars Choo Young-woo and Shin Si-ah in a bittersweet high-school romance centered on a girl with anterograde amnesia whose memories reset each morning. 

“Choir of God” debuted in fifth with $401,938, pushing its total to $7732,062. The film follows North Korea’s efforts to bypass international sanctions by seeking assistance from a Hungarian NGO to construct churches in Pyongyang.

Japanese animated title “Crayon Shinchan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers” ranked sixth with $333,136, taking its total to $2.6 million.

“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” opened in seventh with $200,128, while Warner Bros.’ “Tom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass” followed in eighth with $79,311 and now has a $162,873 cume.

“Pororo the Movie: Sweet Castle Adventure” continued its family-friendly run in ninth, earning $78,315 and lifting its cumulative gross to $1.4 million.

Rounding out the top 10, the 25th anniversary special edition of Wong Kar-wai classic “In the Mood for Love” added $73,023 from limited screenings.

The top ten films collectively grossed $10.6 million, down from last weekend’s $14.02 million.