'Exhuma' Makes History; Becomes 1st Korean Occult Horror Film To Exceed 7 Million Moviegoers

Setting new records and captivating audiences, ‘Exhuma’ has made a significant mark in South Korean cinematic history. On the morning of March 9, the Korean Film Council revealed that as of the previous day (March 8), ‘Exhuma’ had officially crossed the milestone of 7,009,491 moviegoers.

This record-breaking accomplishment establishes ‘Exhuma’ as the first Korean occult horror film to exceed 7 million moviegoers, marking a monumental success at the box office.

What’s also interesting to note is that the film achieved the impressive feat of reaching 7 million moviegoers in less than 16 days of its release, surpassing the milestone four days quicker than ‘12.12: The Day,’ which held the title of South Korea’s top-grossing box office hit in 2023.

This achievement is undoubtedly worthy of celebration. To commemorate the milestone, the film’s director Jang Jae-hyun posed for an all-smiles photo with the cast members, Choi Min-sik, Kim Jae-chul, Kim Go-eun, and Yoo Hae-jin. Unfortunately, Lee Do-hyun wasn’t a part of it as he’s currently fulfilling his mandatory military duties. However, a few days ago, he penned a heartfelt note when the film surpassed four million moviegoers.

Check it out the pic here:

The successful film delves into the story of two exorcists (portrayed by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun), a mortician (Yoo Hae-jin), and a feng shui master (Choi Min-sik), who move mysterious graves from place to place in return for a substantial sum of money.

Notably, ‘Exhuma’ had its world premiere on February 16, 2024, at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Forum section. Subsequently, it hit theaters in South Korea on February 22, 2024.

The film made an impressive US$16.8 million in its opening weekend, and as of March 7, 2024, it has earned a total gross of US$49,233,228, and has gone on to become the highest-grossing film among South Korean releases this year.