'The Backrooms' Surpasses 1 Million Viewers in 21 Days... Driven by Gen Z Audience

The movie 'The Backrooms' has surpassed 1 million viewers nationwide just 21 days after its release. It marks the first foreign horror-thriller film to reach the 1 million viewer milestone in seven years, following 'Get Out' and 'Us'.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network for movie theater tickets on June 17, 'The Backrooms' attracted 12,242 viewers on June 16, ranking 3rd at the box office. The cumulative number of viewers reached 1,000,219. With this, 'The Backrooms' has become the first foreign horror-thriller to hit the 1 million mark in approximately seven years, following director Jordan Peele's 'Get Out' and 'Us'.

Younger audiences, specifically Gen Z, played a significant role in helping 'The Backrooms' surpass the 1 million viewer mark. Based on CGV ticket reservation data, people in their 20s accounted for the highest share at 38%, followed by those in their 10s and 30s at 19% each, placing the 2030 generation at the center of its box office success. By gender, the distribution was balanced with 53% male and 47% female.

Younger audiences, who are familiar with internet culture and urban legends and have encountered the film through short-form videos and memes, headed to theaters. A virtuous cycle was created as viewing certifications and reviews attracted new audiences. With demand for repeat viewings remaining strong even on weekdays, combined with new weekend admissions, 'The Backrooms' has maintained a steady box office trajectory, even experiencing a resurgence in its third week of release.

As the film is based on the internet urban legend 'The Backrooms' universe, social media and online communities have been flooded with content interpreting the ending, searching for Easter eggs, and explaining the world-building since its release. In particular, posts sharing subway transfer corridors or late-night unmanned stations with yellow fluorescent lights as "real-life Backrooms" have also gone viral.

'The Backrooms' tells the story of Clark and Mary, who encounter unexplainable events in a bizarre space filled with yellow walls and endless fluorescent lights. It is the feature film debut of newcomer Kane Parsons.

Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Produced by SBS Entertainment News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.