‘Love’s Hatchuping: The Legend of the Whale Jewel’ Opens Tomorrow, Tops Reservations Among Korean Films

One day before its release, the animated film 〈Love's Hatchuping: The Legend of the Whale Jewel〉 had sold more than 87,000 tickets in advance, pointing to a strong box-office debut. The distributor said on Aug. 4 that advance ticket sales had surpassed 87,000. That performance eclipsed the opening-day morning advance-ticket record (81,577 tickets) set by the previous installment released in 2024, 〈Love's Hatchuping〉, breaking that mark a day early.

That ranked 〈Love's Hatchuping: The Legend of the Whale Jewel〉 No. 1 among Korean films in reservation rate and positioned it alongside Hollywood blockbusters such as 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉 and 〈Odyssey〉 as part of this summer's three-film race at the box office. It posted advance-reservation figures comparable to the opening-day reservation figure for 2026's hit animated film 〈Toy Story 5〉, which opened in the first half of 2026. Since last weekend's premiere screening, audience members have praised not only the story but the film's striking visuals and OST, giving word-of-mouth momentum to its box-office run.

The new film follows Romi and best friend Hatchuping on a miraculous fantasy ocean adventure to rescue Romi's mother, Belita, who vanished from the sea without a trace. In an unfamiliar marine world, they team up with Kite and new Tiny Pings to face giant deep-sea lifeforms and uncover the secret Romi's mother had hidden.

Directed by Kim Su-hoon, who helmed the previous installment, 〈Love's Hatchuping: The Legend of the Whale Jewel〉 has a running time of 105 minutes and carries an all-ages rating. The family-friendly animation, featuring refreshing ocean scenery and an emotional story, opens on Wednesday, August 5.