SEOUL — "Exhuma," directed by Jang Jae-hyun, has set a new benchmark in Vietnam, becoming the highest-grossing Korean movie in the country's history, as announced by Showbox Co. The supernatural thriller captivated over 2.23 million Vietnamese viewers by March 31, surpassing the 2.15 million viewership record previously held by the 2022 comedy "6/45." Since its Vietnamese premiere on March 15, "Exhuma" has achieved remarkable financial success, including a record-breaking single-day sales of US$660,000 and first-weekend earnings of $3.02 million.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The film's appeal extends beyond Vietnam, with significant box office success in Indonesia, where it attracted 2.3 million viewers, setting another record for Korean films. Showbox Co. attributes the movie's popularity to its innovative approach to horror, diverging from traditional jump scares, and the allure of its young stars, Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun, in Asia. The film's narrative, exploring shamanistic themes through the story of two shamans, a feng shui expert, and a mortician investigating mysterious happenings in a wealthy American family, has resonated with audiences across Asia. Following its domestic release on February 22, "Exhuma" has surpassed 11 million admissions in South Korea, becoming the first film of the year to exceed the 10 million admissions milestone on March 24.