The fantasy action film "Omniscient Reader" released on July 23 is leading the Korean box office. However, despite a smooth start, concerns about the work's likelihood of breakthrough are increasing.
With a production cost of more than 30 billion won, the film is under pressure to attract at least 6 million views. However, initial numbers suggest that it may be difficult to achieve.
"All Readers" attracted a total of 281,263 views in the first 3 days. However, the number of audiences decreased by nearly 40% after the second day. Although the film currently holds the No. 1 spot, its slow growth has raised concerns about the box office prospects in the following days.
With the participation of Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Min Ho, Chae Soo Bin, Shin Seung Ho, Nana, Jisoo (Blackpink) and Kwon Eun Seong, All Readers attracted significant attention thanks to its famous cast, as well as the existing reputation of the hit original novel with more than 240 million views and adapted into web comics (webtoon).
The story revolves around a fictional world that becomes reality, combining fantasy and action in a large-scale adaptation.
The audience's reactions were quite mixed. A part of the audience is not familiar with the original novel and describes "All Readers" as an interesting action film.
While long-time fans of the original novel expressed disappointment with the deviations in the plot and character building. Jisoo's performance also received mixed reactions.
The film's unimpressive performance comes at a time when Korean cinemas are struggling. In the first half of 2025, the total audience has dropped to the lowest level in 21 years.
Last year's box office revenue was reinforced by hit films such as "Exhuma" and "The Roundup: Punishment", each film surpassed 10 million views. This year, the most watched film since the beginning of the year is Opposition Party, which only attracted 3.37 million views.
The continued increase in ticket prices has aggravated this problem. Since 2019, the average ticket price in Korea has increased from 7.9 USD to 10.2 USD - up 27%, far exceeding the inflation rate.
If including snacks and other expenses, a movie watching session at a theater can cost more than 20 USD/person.
Meanwhile, streaming services offer more content at the same or lower monthly price, making them more attractive to many consumers.
An industry insider commented: "As ticket prices continue to increase, audiences expect greater value, but recent films often do not achieve expectations."
In the face of the difficult situation of "All Readers" making a capital recovery, the audience commented: "Instead of complaining, let's start with making a good film"; "Don't blame the cinema and the audience anymore. Maybe we should cut the unreasonable salaries of main actors who never suffer any losses"; "I went to see a movie at the cinema and it was really disappointing"...
In response, the Korean government began distributing 4.5 million 6,000 won discount coupons on July 25 to help increase the number of viewers in theaters. Will this initiative help "All Readers" reverse the situation?
