'Zombie Daughter' Dominates Box Office with Record-Breaking Opening

The highly anticipated film 'Zombie Daughter' has debuted at number one at the box office, setting a new record for advance ticket sales this year.

'Zombie Daughter' is a comedic drama about a devoted father who undergoes secret training to protect his daughter, the last remaining zombie on Earth. The film stars Jo Jung-suk, Lee Jung-eun, Jo Yeo-jeong, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Yoo-ri.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network, 'Zombie Daughter' attracted 430,091 viewers on its opening day, securing the top spot at the box office. The film garnered significant attention with the highest advance ticket sales of the year, fueled by positive word-of-mouth from press, critics, and audiences following its premiere. 'Zombie Daughter' not only surpassed the opening score of 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning' (423,892 viewers), the highest-grossing film of 2025, but also set a new record for the most opening day viewers for a Korean comedy film, surpassing 'Extreme Job' (368,582 viewers). Additionally, it outperformed other major films like 'Excavation' (331,118 viewers), 'Spring in Seoul' (203,813 viewers), and last summer's hit 'Pilot' (373,859 viewers), achieving the highest opening score for a non-series Korean film released in the past five years.

Audience reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. The film boasts a CGV Egg Index of 91%, a Lotte Cinema score of 9.1, and a Naver rating of 9.08. Viewers have expressed their satisfaction with comments such as "1000% satisfaction, laughed and cried, happy to find such a kind and harmless movie," "Perfectly timed comedy with a touching ending," and "A film that even unlocked the power of T!" Jo Jung-suk, known for his roles in summer hits like 'Exit' and 'Pilot,' received praise for his performance, with comments like "Jo Jung-suk, the man of summer! Thank you for a great movie."

'Zombie Daughter' is currently playing in theaters.

By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr