Kim Hye-yoon’s “Sal-mok-ji” Takes #1 at the Box Office… Best Horror Opening Since “The Wailing”

The horror film 〈Sal-mok-ji〉, starring actress Kim Hye-yoon, has claimed the top spot in the overall box office right upon release, causing a major stir in the horror genre as it spreads nationwide theaters in April.

Breaking Records at an All-Time Level… Best Results Among Horror Films Since “The Wailing”

According to the Korea Film Council Integrated Computer Network on the 9th, 〈Sal-mok-ji〉 topped the charts with 89,912 viewers on its opening day, Wednesday the 8th (cumulative audience: 116,825). This is the highest opening performance among domestic horror genre films released since 〈The Wailing〉(opening: 129,937), which sparked a horror boom during the 2021 pandemic era.

What’s more, this record is even more astonishing in that it surpasses—by more than double—the daily audience counts of 〈The Man Who Lives with the King〉, which rewrote box-office history after passing the 16-million mark, and the Hollywood blockbuster 〈Project Hail Mary〉. In other words, it proves the ticket power of Kim Hye-yoon’s transformation into a “horror queen.”

“Even just the sound of water sends chills”… Real viewer rating of 9.5 and Egg Index of 91%

Behind the film’s box-office success is the overwhelming word of mouth from real viewers. 〈Sal-mok-ji〉, which is maintaining a 〈CGV Golden Egg Index〉 of 91%, is earning high marks for the psychological pressure created by the setting—a reservoir—and for the meticulous sound direction.

Audiences are piling on praise, saying, “Even if you cover your eyes, the slimy sound of water you can still hear is scarier,” “Kim Hye-yoon’s horror performance hard-carries the immersion,” and “The Road View concept feels intensely real and terrifying.” With the synergy of director Lee Sang-min’s sharp direction and the actors’ outstanding performances, the film breaks the prejudice that horror movies are hard to succeed and has climbed onto a long-term box-office run.

A Mysterious Form Captured in Road View… A Desperate Struggle Unfolding in the Reservoir

〈Sal-mok-ji〉 depicts the story of PD Soo-in (played by Kim Hye-yoon) and the filming crew as they head to the reservoir “Sal-mok-ji” to re-shoot and identify the unidentified entity caught on Road View—only to face the strange presence that had been trapped underwater.

Unable to explain, unable to resist, 〈Sal-mok-ji〉—a terrifying ghost-of-water that pulls viewers in— is currently showing in theaters nationwide.