12 Million-Viewer Blockbuster That Beat Squid Game 2 and Queen of Tears as 2024’s Most Impactful Content

Director Jang Jae-hyun’s film Exhuma has been named the most impactful Korean content of 2024, surpassing major titles like Squid Game 2 and Queen of Tears. The film dominated the Korean box office, grossing 115.2 billion KRW with an impressive 11.91 million admissions.

On February 14, film magazine Cine21 released the results of a survey conducted among 52 key figures in the industry, including professionals from film and drama production companies, investment and distribution firms, OTT platforms, and talent agencies. Exhuma, produced by Plus M Entertainment, was selected as the most memorable content of the year. Industry insiders praised the film for its “relentless exploration of the Korean collective subconscious” and its “bold departure from traditional occult narratives, delivering an unsettling yet thrilling experience for audiences.”

Exhuma is an occult mystery film centered around feng shui master Sang-deok (Choi Min-sik), undertaker Young-geun (Yoo Hae-jin), shaman Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun), and her apprentice Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun), who encounter strange phenomena after being hired to relocate a suspicious grave for a large sum of money. Director Jang Jae-hyun, known for The Priests and Svaha: The Sixth Finger, once again demonstrated his mastery of the genre, crafting a film rich in atmosphere and striking in its execution.

The film also earned international recognition, securing an invitation to the Forum section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. The Berlinale described it as “one of the most outstanding genre films among this year’s Forum selections, which bridge auteur and commercial cinema.” Barbara Wurm, head programmer of the Forum section, praised the film as “a remarkable representative of Korea’s ever-expanding cinematic landscape,” adding that “Director Jang Jae-hyun is undeniably a formidable filmmaker, and the cast delivers stellar performances.”

Industry analysts attribute the film’s success to Jang’s decision to balance his signature style with broader audience appeal. It has also been highlighted as a case study proving that genre films, once considered niche, can break into the mainstream.

Following Exhuma, tvN’s drama Queen of Tears ranked second. The series, which recorded the highest ratings in tvN history and remained in Netflix’s global top charts for 15 consecutive weeks, was lauded for its fresh take on the romance genre. Rather than ending at marriage, it delves into the struggles of a married couple facing crisis, reigniting their love along the way.

Netflix’s original Squid Game Season 2 took third place, followed by tvN’s Lovely Runner (starring Byeon Woo-seok) in fourth. The latter was praised as “the most cost-effective production of the year” and a potential solution to the rising production costs in Korea’s content industry.

MBC’s An Incredibly Close Betrayal secured the fifth spot, earning acclaim for its “intensely atmospheric storytelling, the likes of which have been absent in recent years.”

Other notable mentions included tvN’s Graduation and Apple TV+’s Disclaimer. Graduation was recognized for its meticulous research and thought-provoking dialogue, seamlessly blending romance with a social critique of Korea’s hypercompetitive education system. Meanwhile, Disclaimer was praised as a well-crafted suspense thriller uncovering the layers of distorted truth.

The survey’s results indicate a strong presence of dramas and series, reflecting both the increasing competitiveness of broadcast networks against OTT platforms and the relative scarcity of standout Korean films in 2024. However, Exhuma defied the trend, proving that a Korean film can achieve both commercial and critical success while expanding the horizons of the industry.