'Choir of God' Pulls Off 2026's First Box Office Upset, Beating 'Once We Were Us'

The film “Choir of God” is shaping up to be 2026’s first bona fide box office surprise.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office tracker, “Choir of God” drew 65,745 moviegoers nationwide on Feb. 1 to claim the No. 1 spot. The sleeper climbed to the top five weeks after its Dec. 31 release, bringing its cumulative admissions to 934,377.

Blending a stirring human story with sweeping musical set pieces, the movie follows a North Korean state security officer who assembles a sham praise choir. Virtually ignored before and even shortly after opening, it initially trailed “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Zootopia 2,” and same-day opener “Once We Were Us,” hovering in the No. 4-5 range.

But steady word of mouth turned the tide. As the new year began, the film pushed into the daily top three and, in its fifth week, pulled off a full-on reversal to land at No. 1. Strong audience buzz, lingering emotional impact, and repeat viewings have kept seats filled, with consistently high occupancy rates to prove it.

Now on the cusp of the 1 million admissions milestone, “Choir of God” is counting down. While “The King's Warden” opens Feb. 4 and could reshuffle the rankings, momentum suggests the march to 1 million is only a matter of time.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)