2026 Korean film lineup

It is a severe recession. It feels like a tunnel with no end in sight. Audiences have decreased, and investments have shrunk. The year 2025 is highly likely to be remembered as a dark period in the history of Korean cinema. Difficulties are also expected in 2026. Looking at the “lineups” of major domestic investment–distribution companies, only a very small number of main-investment films have confirmed release dates. It inevitably stands in sharp contrast to the boom years, when around ten titles per year were unveiled.

If you look only at the numbers, darkness outweighs light. However, faint hope can still be seen. There are surprisingly many highly anticipated works from famous directors. Although major investment–distribution companies have few films, the number of Korean movies awaiting release is greater than expected. Because major companies are now more cautious about partial investment than before, the number of titles firmly fixed in the lineup is small. Small and mid-sized companies, more fearful of losses during a downturn, are hesitating to release films. Although not many titles are being mentioned as New Year releases, it is not to the extent that one should worry that “in 2026, Korean films will completely disappear from theaters.”

There are also glimpses of new possibilities. One is solidarity among investment–distribution companies. Cases where major and small-to-medium distributors join hands for joint distribution are expected to increase. For major companies, this allows them to increase the number of releases even in a recession; for small and mid-sized companies, it lowers risk while allowing their invested films to open — a “win–win” strategy. If the keyword that dominated the booming pre-COVID Korean film market was “winner-takes-all,” the recession has unintentionally become a period of seeking coexistence. In 2026, in the face of an acute crisis, the industry is expected to make even greater efforts to save its shared fate as a single community.

‘Hope’, ‘Possible Love’… there are anticipated films in 2026 as well

Even if the market wind feels bitterly cold, 2026 is warm enough on the strength of masters’ new works alone. A number of highly talked-about titles, led by the most anticipated Korean film ‘Hope’, will arrive in theaters. ‘Hope’ (financed and distributed by Plus M Entertainment) is director Na Hong-jin’s first new film in ten years since ‘The Wailing’ (2016). Its production cost is reportedly at least 55 billion won — the largest in Korean film history. Hollywood stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander appear alongside Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon. Steven Oh, famous for special filming on Hollywood titles such as ‘No Time to Die’ (2021), ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023), and ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ (2023), also served as a key crew member. The story depicts events that unfold when aliens appear in an isolated port town near the Demilitarized Zone.

Director Na Hong-jin is one of the leading Korean filmmakers with high recognition overseas. The mere fact that this is his new work draws the spotlight. ‘Hope’ completed filming in March 2024. Although there were early predictions that release in 2025 might be possible, it has been delayed. Known as a perfectionist, Na is said to be putting enormous effort into post-production, which has postponed the opening. Plus M Entertainment has set 2026 as the firm release year. With its massive budget, a renowned director, and a cast of domestic and international stars, the industry is watching closely to see how many viewers it will attract.

From the left, the cast of ‘Hope’: Zo In-sung, Taylor Russell, Michael Fassbender, Hwang Jung-min, Jung Ho-yeon, Alicia Vikander, and Cameron Britton (courtesy of Plus M Entertainment)

Director Lee Chang-dong’s ‘Possible Love’ is also one of the most anticipated films of 2026. It is his first new work in eight years since ‘Burning’ (2018), and stars Seol Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong. The cast alone draws attention. The film deals with what happens as the lives of two couples, who had been living in completely different worlds, become entangled.

The project was originally selected for the Korean Film Council’s mid-budget Korean film production support program and was set to receive 1.5 billion won, but the application for support was withdrawn after investment negotiations with a major distributor fell through. With no domestic distributor willing to invest, the OTT platform Netflix stepped in to finance the film.

Unlike Lee Chang-dong’s previous path since ‘Secret Sunshine’ (2007), which had consistently aimed for the Cannes Film Festival, a Cannes appearance is completely impossible this time. Taking into account protests from the French theater industry, Cannes does not invite Netflix films, which pursue simultaneous theatrical and online releases. Filming began in September 2025, and barring unforeseen circumstances, a 2026 release is certain. There is a very high possibility that it will have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, which maintains a friendly relationship with Netflix. If invited to Venice, a release in the fall or afterward is highly likely.

Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s ‘Humint’ (distributed and financed by NEW) will be released on February 11. Set in Vladivostok, Russia, it depicts a clash among four intelligence agents. Although agents appear, the film aims more for an action drama than a spy thriller. Actors Zo In-sung, Park Jung-min, Park Hae-joon, and Shin Se-kyung worked together on the project. Filming was completed in March 2025.

Director Ryoo Seung-wan is the only filmmaker who has shown steady box-office success without major ups and downs, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing 3.61 million viewers with ‘Escape from Mogadishu’ (2021). He attracted 5.14 million viewers with ‘Smugglers’ (2023) and 7.52 million with ‘Veteran 2’ (2024). ‘Humint’ is expected to perform well at the box office as it once again foregrounds Ryoo’s specialty: action.

‘Colony’ (financed and distributed by Showbox) is also one of 2026’s most anticipated titles. Director Yeon Sang-ho is returning to a theatrical blockbuster for the first time in six years since ‘Peninsula’ (2020). The film tells the story of what happens after an unidentified virus breaks out in a building and the infected begin evolving in unpredictable ways. A kind of zombie film, it has a production budget approaching 20 billion won. The cast includes Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Shin-rok, and Go Soo. It is drawing particular attention as Jun Ji-hyun’s return to the big screen for the first time in 11 years since ‘Assassination’ (2015).

Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s spy action drama ‘Humint’ (provided by NEW)

‘Colony’, which is drawing attention thanks to the combination of Jun Ji-hyun and director Yeon Sang-ho (provided by Showbox)

Director Jung Ju-ri’s new film ‘Dora’ (distributor undecided) is also one of the anticipated releases of 2026. It tells the story of a girl bearing physical and psychological wounds and what unfolds when she meets another woman. Rising actress Kim Do-yeon from ‘Amoeba Girls and School Ghost Story: Foundation Day’ (2024) and famous Japanese actress Ando Sakura star in the film. Director Jung Ju-ri’s debut feature ‘A Girl at My Door’ (2014) was invited to the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, and her second feature ‘Next Sohee’ (2023) was invited to the Cannes Critics’ Week. ‘Dora’, Jung’s third feature, has a strong chance of being invited to Cannes. It is expected to be released after May.

There is also a high possibility that director Yoon Je-kyun’s ‘Ode to My Father 2’ (working title; financed and distributed by CJ ENM) will target the year-end market. It is a sequel to ‘Ode to My Father’ (2014), which was seen by 14.26 million viewers in theaters, and is expected to have a production budget of 17 billion won. Through Seong-min (Lee Sung-min), who worked as a dispatched miner in Germany together with Deok-soo (Hwang Jung-min), the film looks back on the turbulent modern history of Korea. Filming begins in February. CJ ENM is aiming for a 2026 release.

Confirmed lineups of major investment–distribution companies

By major distributors, Lotte Entertainment has the largest number of titles. Including ‘Heartman’, which opens on January 14, it will release six films. ‘Heartman’ is a comedy about what happens when the ex-lover of a woman harboring a secret returns. Kwon Sang-woo, Moon Chae-won, and Park Ji-hwan star together. Director Choi Won-sub, who collaborated with Kwon Sang-woo on the hit comedy series ‘Hitman’, directed the film.

Following ‘Heartman’, films expected to be released by Lotte Entertainment in the first half of the year include ‘To the Land of Happiness’ and ‘Resurrection Man’. ‘To the Land of Happiness’ is a new film by director Im Sang-soo that was selected for the Cannes Film Festival’s “Official Selection” in 2020 (that year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical festival was not held and films were selected without sectional divisions). It also had its world premiere as the opening film of the 2021 Busan International Film Festival. It follows a terminally ill fugitive who ends up on an unintended journey with a young man. The cast is star-studded, including Choi Min-sik, Park Hae-il, and Youn Yuh-jung.

‘Resurrection Man’ is also a film whose release has been delayed. Filming was completed in 2023, and it stars Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Seung-ho, and Kang Ki-young. It tells the story of a man who accidentally discovers that he resurrects 72 hours after his death and then becomes chased by a mysterious group. It is based on a webtoon of the same name. Director Baek Jong-yeol, who directed ‘The Beauty Inside’ (2015) and ‘Believer 2’ (2023), helmed the project.

In the second half of 2026, Lotte Entertainment plans to release ‘Jeong Family Ranch’, ‘Gyeongju Trip’, and ‘Wild Thing’. ‘Jeong Family Ranch’ depicts the story of two estranged brothers who have not spoken to each other for 30 years and remain in conflict. It takes the Icelandic film ‘Rams’ (2016), which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes, as its blueprint. The film stars Ryu Seung-ryong and Park Hae-joon and is directed by newcomer Kim Ji-hyun. It was filmed in 2021.

‘Gyeongju Trip’ is a new film by director Kim Mi-jo, who gained attention with the indie film ‘Gull’ (2020). It follows a mother who heads to Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with her three daughters to seek revenge after the perpetrator who killed her youngest daughter is released from prison. Lee Jung-eun, Gong Hyo-jin, Park So-dam, and Lee Yeon star in the film. ‘Wild Thing’ is a new film by director Sohn Jae-gon, who directed ‘My Scary Girl’ and ‘Villain and Widow’. It is a comedy about a popular co-ed trio group that, after a scandal, is forgotten by the public but reunites and returns to the stage. The cast includes Kang Dong-won, Um Tae-goo, Park Ji-hyun, and Oh Jung-se.

From the top to bottom: the comedy film ‘Heartman’, launching in January of the new year, and ‘To the Land of Happiness’ and ‘Jeong Family Ranch’, which are finally set for release after a long wait (courtesy of Lotte Entertainment)

CJ ENM will present four films in 2026, led by ‘Ode to My Father 2’. It will also release ‘Paradise Lost’, ‘Tazza: Song of Beelzebub’ (working title), and ‘Project 30’. ‘Paradise Lost’ is directed by Yeon Sang-ho and portrays what happens when the child who disappeared nine years ago suddenly appears before the mother who lost them in the case. Following ‘The Face’ (2025), this is another film in which Yeon applies a new production method: minimizing actor and staff fees and sharing profits based on box-office results. Produced on a budget of 500 million won, it stars Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung.

‘Tazza: Song of Beelzebub’ is the fourth installment in the ‘Tazza’ series and depicts a vicious, no-holds-barred gambling world. It stars Byun Yo-han, Noh Jae-won, and Miyoshi Ayaka, and is directed by Choi Guk-hee. ‘Project 30’, whose release was postponed from December 2025 to 2026, is an omnibus film involving 30 Korean directors including Kim Do-young, Jeong Ga-young, Lee Jong-pil, Namkoong Sun, Lim Sun-ae, Kang Mi-ja, Yoon Ga-eun, and Jeong Jae-eun. It takes the form of a relay of three-minute short films connected one after another.

The fourth installment of the ‘Tazza’ series returning after seven years, ‘Tazza: Song of Beelzebub’ (left), and ‘Project 30’, which contains short films directed by 30 filmmakers including Kim Do-young, Jeong Ga-young, and Yoon Ga-eun (courtesy of CJ ENM)

Showbox has confirmed four titles in its 2026 lineup, including ‘Colony’. Following ‘Colony’, ‘The King's Warden’ (opening February 4) is drawing attention. The film tells the story of Prince Danjong, who was dethroned from the Joseon throne, and a village headman who volunteers his village as Danjong’s place of exile to revive the town. The cast includes Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Mi-do, Park Ji-hwan, and Ahn Jae-hong. Director Jang Hang-jun helmed the film. Its release date has already been set for February 4, clearly targeting the Lunar New Year holiday. It is a historical drama—a genre that has recently “disappeared” from the Korean film scene—with a production budget in the 10-billion-won range.

‘Salmokji’ and ‘Heavy Snowfall’ are also on Showbox’s release list. ‘Salmokji’ is a horror film about people who go to a reservoir to shoot footage for a road-view update and encounter something mysterious. Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won star in the film, which is the feature debut of director Lee Sang-min. ‘Heavy Snowfall’ tells the story of a stationmaster on his final day of work at the train station to which he has devoted his entire life, who then comes face-to-face with escaped prisoners. Kim Yoon-seok and Koo Kyo-hwan star, and director Hong Eui-jeong, who attracted notice with ‘Voice of Silence’ (2020), directs.

Plus M Entertainment will release ‘Hope’ as well as ‘Project Y’ (opening January 21). ‘Project Y’ is a new film by director Lee Hwan, who made ‘Park Hwa-young’ (2018) and ‘Adults in the Room’ (2021). The film depicts what happens when two women learn of the existence of black money and hidden gold bars. It stars Han So-hee, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Shin-rok, and Jung Young-joo.

The historical drama film ‘The King's Warden’, scheduled for release on February 4, and the horror film ‘Salmokji’, set against the real reservoir of Salmokji in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province (courtesy of Showbox)

The “two-top female lead” film starring Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo, drawing much attention, ‘Project Y’ (courtesy of Plus M Entertainment)

Postponed again and again — films waiting for 2026

Other Plus M Entertainment films such as ‘Tropical Night’ and ‘Pavane’ have also long been in post-production. A 2026 release is highly likely, though not yet confirmed. ‘Tropical Night’ finished filming in May 2024, and ‘Pavane’ wrapped in July of the same year. ‘Tropical Night’ is an action film starring Woo Do-hwan, Jang Dong-gun, and Hyeri, set in Bangkok, Thailand. ‘Pavane’ is a melodrama based on writer Park Min-gyu’s novel Pavane for a Dead Princess. It stars Go Ah-sung and Byun Yo-han and is a new film by director Lee Jong-pil, known for ‘Escape’ (2024).

In addition to ‘Possible Love’, Netflix will release ‘Husbands’ and ‘Cross 2’. Additional titles are likely to be announced when the January 2026 lineup is revealed. ‘Husbands’ is a comedy about an ex-husband and a current husband joining forces to rescue a woman kidnapped by a crime organization. It is director Park Gyu-tae’s first new work in four years since the surprise hit ‘6/45’ (2022). ‘Cross 2’ is the sequel to ‘Cross’ (2024), an action comedy about a detective husband and a former special agent wife who confront a mysterious organization stealing cultural assets. Hwang Jung-min and Yum Jung-ah star, and director Lee Myung-hoon returns to helm the sequel.

The action comedy ‘Husbands’ by director Park Gyu-tae of ‘6/45’ and ‘Cross 2’, which reunites Hwang Jung-min and Yum Jung-ah (courtesy of Netflix)

Director Park Hoon-jung’s film ‘Sad Tropics’ (financed and distributed by Mindmark) also has a high possibility of a 2026 release. It depicts what happens when a man who reigns as an absolute ruler in a tropical rainforest and has raised children to become killers ends up fighting against his own “disciples.” The film stars Kim Myung-min, Lee Shin-young, Park Yu-rim, and Park Hae-soo. HYBE Media Corp’s ‘Assassin(s)’ (distributor undecided) is likewise a highly anticipated film likely to be released in 2026. Based on a true story of an attempted assassination, it stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho. It is director Hur Jin-ho’s new work following ‘A Normal Family’ (2024).

Although not yet confirmed for a 2026 release, there are several hotly discussed titles that can hardly be delayed any longer. The most representative are ‘In Search of the King’ and ‘Starlight Falls’. Director Won Shin-yeon’s new film ‘In Search of the King’ (financed and distributed by Wysiwyg Studios) is an SF film depicting the story of people in a village near the Demilitarized Zone in the 1980s who encounter an unidentified life form. Filming was completed in July 2023. If it does not open in 2026, it will have spent more than three years only in post-production. ‘Starlight Falls’ (distributor undecided) is a melodrama that moves back and forth between the past and present of one man and two women. It stars Esom, Ong Seong-wu, Shim Eun-kyung, and Yang Dong-geun. Directed by Choi Guk-hee, it finished filming in July 2022. It is now in a situation where further postponement is difficult.

Director Park Hoon-jung’s global project ‘Sad Tropics’, which was invited to the competition section of the 2025 Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival (courtesy of Mindmark)

As mentioned earlier, films that have finished shooting but still have unclear release schedules are highly likely to enter theaters through joint distribution among investment–distribution companies. In particular, the smaller the company, the more likely it is to join hands with major distributors to bring films to audiences. Depending on such collaboration among distributors, the number of films released in 2026 could increase more than expected.

By Ra Jae-gi (film journalist at Hankook Ilbo) 

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