Ha Jung-woo’s fourth directorial outing, "The People Upstairs", is aiming to top 500,000 total admissions this weekend.
According to the Korean Film Council’s box office tracker on the 19th, the film drew 10,016 moviegoers nationwide on the 18th to hold at No. 3. Its cumulative total stands at 466,497 admissions.
Despite its R rating, the Oct. 3 release has shown steady momentum. Weekend tallies hit 129,465 in week one and 140,352 in week two, marking a rare second-week bump.
The film opened amid "Zootopia 2"s box-office whirlwind, and as it enters its third frame against the mega-tentpole "Avatar: Fire and Ash," it remains the top draw among Korean titles.
Made for about 3 billion won, "The People Upstairs" is a low-budget feature with a break-even point around 1 million admissions. Clearing that mark may be a stretch, but strong word of mouth is fueling a fresh appreciation for Ha Jung-woo as a filmmaker. Compared with his earlier 2025 release "Lobby" (260,000 admissions), this new film is performing better both commercially and critically.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)