'Salmokji : Whispering Water' Surpasses 2 Million Viewers, Setting a New Record for Horror Films Since the Pandemic

The film 'Salmokji : Whispering Water' has surpassed 2 million viewers nationwide.

According to the investment and distribution company Showbox on the 27th, 'Salmokji : Whispering Water' recorded a cumulative total of 2,000,179 viewers as of that afternoon. This is the highest box office score for a horror film since the pandemic and marks the first time a horror movie has reached the 2 million viewer milestone in 8 years, following 'Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum'.

'Salmokji : Whispering Water', which was released on the 8th, surpassed its break-even point (approximately 800,000 viewers) in 7 days and reached the 1 million mark in 10 days. It then conquered the 2 million mark in 20 days. With this, it has become the second Korean film to surpass 2 million viewers in 2026, following the 16 million viewer hit 'The King's Warden'.

'Salmokji : Whispering Water' is a horror film that follows a production team that heads to a reservoir for re-shooting after an unidentified figure is captured in a road view, only to encounter something in the deep, black water. Kim Hye-yoon, Lee Jong-won, and Kim Jun-han star in the film.

As a mid-to-low budget film with a production cost of 3 billion won, 'Salmokji : Whispering Water' is achieving strong results at the 2026 box office, bringing change to a landscape dominated by blockbusters and top-star-led films.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)