"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -- The Movie: Infinity Castle" has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the highest-grossing film in South Korea for 2025, marking the first time an animated movie has claimed the top spot in the country's annual box office rankings. The latest installment in the popular Japanese anime franchise has captivated audiences nationwide, setting new records for animated films in the Korean market.
According to distributor Animax Broadcasting Korea, the film attracted a cumulative total of 5.638 million moviegoers as of Friday, narrowly surpassing the previous box office leader "Zombie Daughter," which had recorded 5.637 million admissions. This achievement represents a significant breakthrough for anime films in South Korea's competitive cinema landscape.
While foreign animated movies have previously achieved remarkable commercial success in South Korea, none had managed to secure the year's top position until now. Notable examples include Disney's "Frozen 2," which sold an impressive 13.36 million tickets in 2019, demonstrating the strong appetite Korean audiences have for high-quality animated entertainment. However, despite such massive numbers, these films had always fallen short of claiming the annual crown.
The latest "Demon Slayer" movie serves as the opening chapter of a planned trilogy that will conclude the beloved series based on the original manga and television anime of the same name. This strategic release approach has generated significant anticipation among fans who have been following the demon-hunting adventures of Tanjiro Kamado and his companions.
Since its South Korean premiere on August 22, the film has demonstrated extraordinary momentum at the box office. The movie reached the one million viewer milestone within just two days of its release, showcasing the intense interest from local audiences. Even more impressively, it crossed the three million admission mark on its tenth day of screening, establishing the fastest pace among all movies released in South Korea during 2025.
This unprecedented success reflects the growing influence of Japanese pop culture in South Korea and demonstrates how quality storytelling transcends cultural boundaries. The film's achievement also highlights the expanding global reach of the "Demon Slayer" franchise, which has become a cultural phenomenon since its debut, captivating audiences worldwide with its compelling narrative, stunning animation, and memorable characters.
