Theatrical Releases in 2010
No Mercy ["Yongseonun Eopta"] Written and directed by Kim Hyung-joon. A woman's body is found cut into six pieces, and the police arrest a radical enviromentalist as the main suspect. Nonetheless the head detective in charge of the investigation discovers his own family is still in danger. Starring Sul Kyung-goo, Ryu Seung-beom, Han Hye-jin, Sung Ji-roo. Cinematography by Kim Woo-hyung. Produced by Cinema Service and The Dream Pictures. Distributed by Cinema Service. Sold internationally by CJ Entertainment. Rating: 18+. 125 min. January 7.
Acacia Band's Story ["Sogyumo Akasia Baendeu Iyagi"] Written and directed by Min Hwan-ki. A documentary about the independent music group Acacia Band, which grows successful but then must deal with conflicts among members. Starring Kim Min-hong, Yozoh, Song Eun-ji. Cinematography by Yun Pu-hui. Produced by Min Hwan-ki. Distributed by Emotion Pictures. Rating: 12+. 90 min. January 14.
Lady Daddy ["Appaga Yeojareul Joahae"] Directed by Lee Kwang-jae. Screenplay by Chun Sung-il. A small boy is desperate to meet his long lost father, but he doesn't realize that his father has undergone a sex change operation. Starring Lee Na-young, Kim Hee-soo, Kim Ji-suk. Cinematography by Oh Seung-hwan. Produced by Haramao Pictures. Distributed and Sold internationally by Showbox. Rating: 12+. 113 min. January 14.
Wedding Dress ["Oeding Deuraess"] Directed by Kwon Hyung-jin. Screenplay by Yoo Yong-ah. A fussy nine year old girl causes a lot of trouble for her single mother, but her attitude changes when she finds out her mother is sick. Starring Song Yoon-ah, Kim Hyang-ki. Cinematography by Paik Dong-hyun. Produced by Sydus FNH and Invent Stone. Distributed and by Sydus FNH. Rating: 12+. 109 min. January 14.
The Fair Love ["Pae-eo Reo-beu"] Written and directed by Shin Yeon-shick. A lonely man in his 50s stops in to see the daughter of an old friend. A friendship develops between them, which later grows into something more serious. Starring Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Ha-na. Cinematography by Choi Gun-hee. Produced by Luz Y Sonidos, Tyle C&P. Distributed and Sold internationally by CJ Entertainment. Rating: 12+. 117 min. January 14.
Restoration ["Hoe-bok"] Directed by Kim Jong-chul. A documentary centered around a bombing in Israel in 2008 targeted at a group of Christians living within a Jewish community. Starring Park Ji-yoon. Cinematography by Oh Seung-hwan. Produced by Fisher Entertainment, Story Set. Rating: 12+. 94 min. January 14.
Nice Shorts ["Sasa Gungun"] Directed by Yung Geun, Kim Yae-yong, Hong Sung-hoon, Cho Sung-hee, Lee Jung-wook. A collection of four independent short films. Starring Hwang Yong-kwang, Lee Ji-yong, Park Sae-jong. Produced by KT&G Sangsangmadang, Innodis. Rating: 18+. 91 min. January 21.
Jumunjin ["Jumunjin"] Directed by Ha Myung-joong. Screenplay by Ha Myung-joong and Oh Eun-hee. A heartbroken young man called "Ghost" spends time at a remote condo and gets to know a young woman. Starring Hwang Bo-ra, Kim Ki-beom. Cinematography by Koo Yeon-mo. Produced by HMJ Films. Rating: 12+. 94 min. January 21.
Attack the Gas Station 2 ["Juyuso Seupgyeok-sageon 2"] Directed by Kim Sang-jin. Screenplay by Paik Sang-ryul. The owner of a gas station hires four tough punks to protect his business. However he treats them badly, and soon they start to consider siding with the group of men who are attacking the gas station. Starring Ji Hyun-woo, Cho Han-sun, Mun Won-ju, Jung Jae-hoon. Cinematography by Kim Dong-chun. Produced and Distributed by Cinema Service. Rating: 15+. 111 min. January 21.
Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle ["Sik Gaek 2: Kimchi Jeon-jaeng"] Directed by Paik Dong-hoon. Screenplay by Shin Dong-ick. A sequel in which two talented chefs with a complicated relationship to each other enter a contest to make the best Kimchi. Starring Kim Jung-eun, Jin Gu, Wang Ji-hye. Cinematography by Cho Yong-kyu. Produced by Iroom Pictures. Distributed and sold internationally by M-line Distribution. Rating: General. 119 min. January 28.
Harmony ["Harmony"] Directed by Kang Dae-gyoo. Screenplay by Lee Seung-yeon. A melodrama about a group of women in prison who start a choir. Starring Kim Yun-jin, Nah Moon-hee, Kang Ye-won, Lee Da-hee, Jang Young-nam, Park Joon-myeon. Cinematography by Kim Young-ho. Produced by JK Film. Distributed and sold internationally by CJ Entertainment. Rating: General. 115 min. January 28.
Secret Reunion ["Euihyeongje"] Directed by Jang Hoon. Screenplay by Jang Min-seok. A North Korean spy and a former South Korean agent meet by chance and form a tense partnership. Starring Song Kang-ho, Kang Dong-won, Jeon Gook-hwan, Park Hyeok-kwon, Yoon Hee-seok, Choi Jeong-woo. Cinematography by Lee Mo-gae. Produced, distributed and sold internationally by Showbox. Rating: +15. 116 min. February 4.
The Neighbor Zombie ["Iootjib Jombi"] Directed and written by Hong Young-geun, Jang Youn-jung, Oh Young-doo and Ryoo Hoon. A film made up of four independent stories about a zombie outbreak in Seoul. Starring Hong Young-geun, Ryoo Hoon, Kim Yeo-jin, Bae Young-geun, Ha Eun-jeong, Lim Jeong-seon. Cinematography by Ryoo Hoon and Hong Young-geun. Sold internationally by Indiestory. Rating: +15 . 115 min. February 18.
Vegetarian ["Chaesikjooeuija"] Written and directed by Lim Woon-seong. A woman suddenly declares herself as a vegetarian after coming under the illusion that she is a plant. Starring Chae Min-seo, Kim Hyun-sung, Kim Yeo-jin, Kim Yeong-jae, Yoon Ji-hye, Park Sang-yeon. Cinematography by Kang Chang-bae. Produced and distributed by Sponge. Sold internationally by Mirovision. Rating: General. 113 min. February 18.
Parallel Life ["Pyeonghaengiron"] Directed by Kwon Ho-young. Screenplay by Han Jeung-ae. A suspense thriller in which certain people find themselves repeating the lives of others from years gone by, following the same series of events towards the same fate. Starring Ji Jin-hee, Lee Jong-hyuk, Park Byeong-eun, Yoon Se-ah, Oh Hyeon-kyeong, Park Geun-hyeong. Cinematography by Lee Jeong-yeol. Produced, distributed and sold internationally by CJ Entertainment. Rating: +15. 110 min. February 18.
* For information about upcoming Korean movies, visit http://www.koreanfilm.org/new.html
Box-Office Admission Results
| Release date | Film Title | Nationwide | Screens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 7 | No Mercy | 1,118,222 | 334 |
| Jan 14 | Acacia Band's Story | 655 | 5 |
| Jan 14 | Lady Daddy | 173,383 | 283 |
| Jan 14 | Wedding Dress | 142,309 | 183 |
| Jan 14 | The Fair Love | 26,295 | 44 |
| Jan 14 | Restoration | 149,014 | 2 |
| Jan 21 | Nice Shorts | 1,085 | 6 |
| Jan 21 | Joomoonjin | 65,616 | 93 |
| Jan 21 | Attack the Gas Station 2 | 724,398 | 322 |
| Jan 28 | Le Grand Chef 2 | 460,636 | 357 |
| Jan 28 | Harmony | 2,999,176 | 405 |
| Feb 4 | Secret Reunion | 5,392,629 | 572 |
| Feb 18 | The Neighbor Zombie | 2,654 | 12 |
| Feb 18 | Vegetarian | 3,145 | 19 |
| Feb 18 | Parallel Life | 916,028 | 272 |
| Feb 25 | The Happy Island | 1,068 | 5 |
| Feb 25 | Eighteen | 1,915 | 11 |
| Mar 4 | Evil Spirit: VIY | 410 | 1 |
| Mar 18 | The Border City 2 | 7,989 | 9 |
| Mar 18 | The Outlaw | 159,023 | 192 |
| Mar 18 | Twilight Gangsters | 1,197,982 | 319 |
| Mar 18 | The Man Next Door | 1,009 | 9 |
| Mar 25 | My Burning Heart | 8,976 | 34 |
| Mar 25 | The Secret River | 163,024 | 275 |
| Mar 25 | Tears in the Amazon | 71,247 | 47 |
| Apr 1 | Sadness in Beauty | 3,965 | 7 |
| Apr 1 | Calling 2 | 24,472 | 62 |
| Apr 1 | Lovers Vanished | 51,543 | 134 |
| Apr 8 | Hi Murder | 570,098 | 261 |
| Apr 8 | Looking for My Wife | 25,667 | 134 |
| Apr 15 | Bestseller | 682,173 | 317 |
| Apr 15 | Sayonara Itsuka | 21,701 | 31 |
| Apr 15 | A Little Pond | 41,066 | 80 |
| Apr 22 | July Thirty Second | 547 | 3 |
| Apr 22 | Turn It Up to 11 | 778 | 5 |
| Apr 22 | Seoul | 161 | 2 |
| Apr 22 | A Long Visit | 230,451 | 276 |
| Apr 28 | Blades of Blood | 213,191 | 509 |
| Apr 29 | Viewfinder | 273 | 4 |
| Apr 29 | Lost & Found | 387 | 1 |
| May 4 | One Night Stand | 1,662 | 9 |
| May 5 | Miss Staff Sergeant | 440,445 | 287 |
| May 5 | The First Love Series | 408 | 1 |
| May 5 | Hahaha | 56,323 | 25 |
| May 6 | City of Cranes | 90 | 2 |
| May 13 | She Came From | 169 | 2 |
| May 13 | Poetry | 218,483 | 171 |
| May 13 | The housemaid | 2,267,807 | 577 |
| May 20 | My Dear Desperado | 688,832 | 248 |
| May 20 | Tokyo Taxi | 6,012 | 13 |
| May 20 | Mama and Papa | 3,099 | 1 |
| May 20 | The Trip | 469 | 3 |
| May 21 | SEOTAIJIBAND LIVE TOUR The Mobius | 34,136 | 1 |
| May 27 | On the Pitch | 101,978 | 222 |
| May 27 | Sera and Lami | 10,449 | 100 |
| May 27 | Bloody Shake | 721 | 4 |
| Jun 02 | The Servant | 2,986,807 | 512 |
| Jun 10 | Be With Me | 13,107 | 30 |
| Jun 16 | 71- Into the Fire | 3,331,816 | 736 |
| Jun 24 | 60 Years Ago, Last Voice 2010 | 79 | 2 |
| Jun 24 | A Good Night Sleep for the Bad | 1,666 | 8 |
| Jun 24 | A Barefoot Dream | 332,699 | 333 |
| Jun 24 | Magic | 5,993 | 33 |
| Jul 1 | Boto | 172 | 1 |
| Jul 1 | I Came from Busan | 1,679 | 12 |
| Jul 1 | Man of Vendetta | 1,013,886 | 190 |
| Jul 14 | Moss | 3,353,897 | 736 |
| Jul 21 | Hearty Paws 2 | 696,483 | 261 |
| Jul 28 | Death Bell 2 : Bloody Camp | 858,705 | 320 |
| Jul 29 | The Forgotten Bag | 8,095 | 7 |
| Aug 04 | The Man from Nowhere | 6,182,772 | 478 |
| Aug 12 | I Saw The Devil | 1,818,997 | 494 |
| Aug 19 | The Five Magic Letters | 121,572 | 179 |
| Aug 19 | The Influence | 201 | 3 |
| Aug 19 | The Haunted House Project | 225,955 | 160 |
| Aug 26 | You Are So Beautiful | 248 | 2 |
| Aug 26 | Mr. Zombie | 103 | 2 |
| Aug 26 | Enemy at the Dead End | 130,961 | 145 |
| Sep 02 | Bedevilled | 161,809 | 107 |
| Sep 02 | Thumbelina's Dad | 30 | 1 |
| Sep 02 | Break Away | 1,824 | 11 |
| Sep 09 | Earth's Women | 2,330 | 14 |
| Sep 09 | Don't Cry for Me Sudan | 405,791 | 22 |
| Sep 09 | Troubleshooter | 1,843,510 | 524 |
| Sep 16 | Enlightenment Film | 2,417 | 9 |
| Sep 16 | Grand Prix | 167,733 | 235 |
| Sep 16 | A Better Tomorrow | 1,546,420 | 416 |
| Sep 16 | Cyrano Agency | 2,688,346 | 402 |
| Sep 16 | Oki's Movie | 35,970 | 20 |
| Sep 16 | The Quiz Show Scandal | 573,901 | 323 |
| Sep 30 | Resilience | 893 | 2 |
| Sep 30 | Norwegian Woods | 926 | 8 |
| Sep 30 | Live in 3D WHEESUNG [It's Real] | 2,920 | 30 |
| Sep 30 | He's on Duty | 973,279 | 259 |
| Sep 30 | An Uninvited Guest | 2,748 | 1 |
| Sep 30 | A Broom Becomes A Goldfish | 683 | 5 |
| Sep 30 | Bloody Innocent | 2,475 | 14 |
| Sep 30 | The 8 Sentiments | 933 | 2 |
| Oct 07 | The Star of Hope - Ikhwezilethemba | 1,291 | 5 |
| Oct 14 | Midnight F.M. | 1,209,116 | 422 |
| Oct 14 | Ha:l | 4,653 | 16 |
| Oct 21 | The Story of Bean Paste | 45,165 | 112 |
| Oct 21 | Loveholic | 75,740 | 220 |
| Oct 28 | Natalie | 94,875 | 196 |
| Oct 28 | Second Half | 871 | 4 |
| Oct 28 | The Unjust | 2,722,403 | 502 |
| Oct 28 | Acoustic | 7,908 | 34 |
| Oct 28 | The Rhythm of Chopsticks | 480 | 11 |
| Oct 28 | Come, Closer | 11,688 | 20 |
| Nov 03 | Rolling Home With a Bull | 16,096 | 88 |
| Nov 04 | No Doubt | 64,373 | 205 |
| Nov 04 | Bad Couple | 483,389 | 345 |
| Nov 04 | Our Happy Ending | 111 | 1 |
| Nov 04 | The Boy from Ipanema | 3,410 | 13 |
| Nov 10 | Haunters | 2,130,348 | 622 |
| Nov 18 | Love, In Between | 129,323 | 211 |
| Nov 18 | Passerby #3 | 2,805 | 10 |
| Nov 18 | Festival | 196,938 | 233 |
| Nov 18 | Hero | 1,564 | 2 |
| Nov 24 | Villain & Widow | 595,591 | 384 |
| Nov 25 | There's to my misfortune | 46 | 1 |
| Nov 25 | Try to Remember | 1,943 | 8 |
| Nov 25 | Familymart | 162 | 1 |
| Nov 25 | Fetish | 872 | 3 |
| Dec 01 | The Petty Love Affair | 2,048,296 | 463 |
| Dec 02 | Flying Butterfly | 4,698 | 9 |
| Dec 02 | Yeouido Island | 5,916 | 24 |
| Dec 02 | Dancing Zoo | 801 | 5 |
| Dec 05 | Forgiveness | 7,982 | 4 |
| Dec 08 | Finding Mr. Destiny | 1,113,285 | 442 |
| Dec 09 | 2AM SHOW | 4,020 | 27 |
| Dec 09 | A Alone Tree | 3,760 | 13 |
| Dec 09 | hakunamatata-A story of Jirani | 1,055 | 1 |
| Dec 16 | Bravo! Jazz Life | 4,627 | 9 |
| Dec 22 | Hello Ghost | 2,871,726 | 472 |
| Dec 22 | The Yellow Sea | 2,142,742 | 618 |
| Dec 29 | The Last Godfather | 2,301,293 | 493 |
| Dec 30 | Cafe Noir | 6,831 | 16 |
* Includes admissions from 2011. Source: Korean Film Council (KOFIC).
Note that from 2007 on, listed screen totals are nationwide, not for Seoul.