“Elemental” and “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” topped the monthly box office in July in South Korea while the global hit “Barbie” struggled with only a 3 percent revenue share.
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC), which tracks box office receipts, released the July ranking for all films released in South Korea based on the total admissions.
(Clockwise from top right) "Elemental," "Smugglers," "Barbie," "The Round-up: No Way Out" and “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” (Photos from KOFIC)
“Elemental” sold 4.08 million tickets in Korea in July to lead the pack, grossing $31.03 million for the month for a revenue share of 28.72 percent.
Since its release in Korea on June 14, it has garnered 5.77 million in total admissions and grossed $43.9 million as of the end of July.
Placing second is Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning,” released on July 12, with total admissions of 3.59 million and gross of $27.98 million for a revenue share of 25.89 percent.
The Korean film “Smugglers,” released on July 26, starring Kim Hye-soo, Yum Jung-ah, Zo In-sung and Park Jeong-min placed third with 1.97 million tickets sold and gross of $14.72 million, equivalent to a revenue share of 13.63 percent.
However, “Barbie,” released on July 19, managed only to record total admissions of 450,197 and gross of $3.36 million for a revenue share of 3.11 percent, and placed seventh.
Here are the 10 top-grossing films in Korea in July based on KOFIC data (numbers in parentheses are totals since the films' release up to July 31):
| Rank | Title | Release Date | Monthly Gross (Total) |
Admissions (Total) |
Revenue Share |
| 1. | Elemental (US) |
June 14, 2023 | $31,039,118 ($43,900,979) |
4,086,932 (5,779,486) |
28.72% |
| 2. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (US) |
July 12, 2023 |
$27,981,941 ($27,981,941) |
3,594,867 (3,594,867) |
25.89% |
| 3. | Smugglers (South Korea) |
July 26, 2023 |
$14,729,302 ($14,729,302) |
1,978,261 (1,978,261) |
13.63% |
| 4. | THE ROUNDUP : NO WAY OUT (South Korea) |
May 31, 2023 | $4,772,076 ($80,764,904) |
711,505 (10,680,905) |
4.41% |
| 5. | Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (US) |
June 28, 2023 | $4,814,685 ($6,559,440) |
618,807 (860,174) |
4.45% |
| 6. | Detective Conan The Movie: Black Iron Submarine (Japan) |
July 20, 2023 |
$4,413,497 ($4,413,497) |
601,691 (601,691) |
4.08% |
| 7. | Barbie (US) | July 19, 2023 |
$3,360,465 ($3,360,465) |
450,197 (450,197) |
3.11% |
| 8. | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (US) |
June 21, 2023 | $3,153,194 ($7,249,771) |
413,353 (911,040) |
2.91% |
| 9. | Insidious: The Red Door (US) | July 19, 2023 |
$2,883,967 ($2,883,967) |
368,127 (368,127) |
2.66% |
| 10. | My Love (China) | Aug. 25, 2021 | $2,309,318 ($2,775,495) |
299,929 (366,788) |
2.13% |