Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee lead the first domestic title to reclaim No. 1 since late July — a Korean-language version of a Hollywood library property

'The Intern' (provided by Warner Bros. Korea and Anthology Studios)

Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee's "The Intern," directed by Kim Do-young, topped the Korean box office in its opening weekend. According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, the film drew approximately 275,000 admissions between Sept. 18 and 20, pushing Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" into second place after a 40-day run at the top. It is the first time in 50 days that a Korean film has reclaimed the number one position. The title that did it, however, is a Korean-language remake of a 2015 Hollywood release. In a market long dominated by foreign titles, the fact that the domestic comeback arrived by way of a localized imported IP makes this more than a routine change at the top of the chart.

Released on Sept. 16, "The Intern" has reached a cumulative 404,000 admissions. Its weekend revenue share stood at 26.0 percent, lower than the 30.7 percent recorded by "The Odyssey" despite trailing in admissions — a gap reflecting the higher average ticket price of foreign titles playing in premium large-format auditoriums. "The Odyssey" has now drawn 11.217 million admissions, becoming the sixth imported film ever to pass 11 million in Korea. Rounding out the chart were "Obsession" in third (131,000), "Resident Evil" in fourth (80,000) and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" in fifth (33,000, with a cumulative 8.99 million) — a top five still weighted heavily toward foreign releases.

"The Intern" follows Gi-ho (Choi Min-sik), who joins the startup of Seon-woo (Han So-hee) as an intern after retiring from a 37-year career, while she has risen in three years to become a dark horse of the fashion industry. The original, directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, earned more than five times its production budget worldwide and drew 3.61 million admissions in Korea, where it has remained a durable favorite. The Korean version relocates the cross-generational, cross-hierarchy relationship into the specifics of Korean workplace culture, establishing its identity as a "K-office" drama.

Early audience response has been favorable, with a 95 percent score on the CGV Golden Egg Index and a 9.0 audience rating at Lotte Cinema. Critical opinion is more divided. Despite changes to setting and characters, direct comparison with the original is unavoidable, and reviewers disagree over whether the localization is persuasive and whether the film renews the appeal of the source material. "Because the original was so widely loved, we started out carrying a heavy burden, but we came together with the intention of expressing it in our own way," Choi Min-sik said. That a proven story guarantees initial attention while simultaneously raising expectations is both the project's greatest asset and its structural limitation.

The notable element here is the direction in which the IP traveled. For several years, Korean cinema has been recognized internationally as a supplier of remake rights. "The Intern" is the reverse transaction: a Hollywood studio's library title, reconstructed with Korean directing and Korean stars, has produced an actual number one at the domestic box office. As global studios examine strategies for recycling owned IP into local-language versions, this result becomes measurable data on the viability of the Asian localization model.

The structure of the Korean market is equally visible in the figures. The 2026 chart has been led by foreign titles, headed by "The Odyssey" at 11.217 million and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" at 8.99 million. That the film breaking this pattern after 50 days was a mid-budget office drama — and that its source material was imported — says something about where commercial Korean cinema is currently sourcing its development material.

The question now is durability. Hur Jin-ho's "The Assassin(s)" opened Sept. 23 with a 29.2 percent share of advance bookings (154,000 tickets), alongside "Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub" at 14.0 percent (73,000). How well "The Intern" holds through a second week crowded with Chuseok holiday competition will indicate whether the recognition value of the original translates into sustained admissions. Whether the localization of Hollywood IP becomes a repeatable model rather than a one-off talking point will be decided in this window.

Sources

• Yonhap News Agency, "[Box Office] 'The Intern' Tops Opening Weekend, Beating 'The Odyssey'", 2026.09.21

• Etoday, "Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee's Chemistry Lands 'The Intern' at No. 1 in Opening Weekend", 2026.09.21

• The Korea Times, "'The Intern' Korean Remake Tests Legacy of Beloved Original Hit", 2026.09.21