A multiplex in Seoul on Feb. 19. (Yonhap)

It's almost a truism at this point to say that movie theaters are in deep trouble, and Thursday's midyear report from the Korean Film Council confirmed that yet again with hard numbers.

According to the report, box office revenue declined 33 percent year-on-year to 408 billion won ($293 million) in the first half of 2025, with attendance dropping 32.5 percent.

Only two films managed to break the 30 billion won threshold: Tom Cruise's Hollywood blockbuster "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" led with 32.9 billion won from 3.36 million admissions, followed closely by local crime thriller "Yadang: The Snitch" at 32 billion, which drew 3.38 million viewers.

"Yadang: The Snitch" starring Kang Ha-neul (PlusM Entertainment)

No release came close to the 10 million admission mark — the traditional benchmark for mega hit status in Korea. Compare that to last year's first half, when "Exhuma" raked in 115 billion won from nearly 12 million tickets and "The Roundup: Punishment" pulled similar numbers.

Local productions took the biggest hit, plunging 43 percent to 203.8 billion won. Foreign films fared better but still declined 19 percent, with the international box office take dropping to 204 billion won.

Survival mode: multiplexes go niche

Faced with this new reality, multiplex chains are throwing out the old playbook. Instead of banking on wide releases, they are getting creative with curation and exclusive programming that caters to dedicated fanbases, the report also showed.

Megabox launched "Mega Only," a monthly exclusive release program targeting niche audiences with specialized content. Its exclusive screening of the hit anime franchise "Attack on Titan: The Last Attack" made 9.5 billion won with 920,000 admissions, setting a record for single-theater releases. The program expands next week with an exclusive screening of "First Summer," Heo Ga-young's student short that won top prize at Cannes' La Cinef competition.

"No Other Choice" starring Lee Byung-hun (CJ ENM)