‘Opposition’ Becomes the Top-Grossing Korean Film of 2025, Surpassing ‘Hitman 2’

‘Opposition’, the hard-hitting crime-action film starring Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, and Park Hae-joon, has officially become the highest-grossing Korean movie of 2025. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, the film drew 171,931 moviegoers in a single day, pushing the cumulative admissions to over 2.55 million.

This record-smashing performance surpasses that of Hitman 2, the previous box office leader among Korean films released this year, which held a total of 2.54 million admissions. The milestone also means ‘Opposition’ has exceeded its break-even point, estimated at 2.5 million viewers, marking a massive success both commercially and critically.

Among all 2025 international and domestic releases, Opposition now ranks second only to Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey17. This feat is particularly notable as the film holds a Restricted (R-rated) classification and premiered during April — typically a low season for theaters in South Korea.

Despite its mature rating, Opposition has also outperformed notable R-rated films like Deadpool and Wolverine, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film since the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarded as a gripping tale of South Korea’s underground narcotics world, the film intertwines the ambitions of a corrupt prosecutor, an undercover narcotics broker, and a relentless cop determined to bring the empire down.

The movie’s sustained box office power is supported by its dynamic narrative, intense performances, and timely social themes. Praised for balancing entertainment with artistic depth, ‘Opposition’ has remained in the top box office rankings four weeks post-release.

The film held the number one box office position for 14 consecutive days before momentarily yielding to Holy Night: Demon Hunters on April 30. However, it quickly reclaimed its top spot the following day and maintained it throughout Korea’s three-weekend streak, even surviving the hike of holiday releases. On May 5th, however, it temporarily ceded the top position to the Minecraft Movie, highlighting the strength of global family-oriented blockbusters.

With its strong cast, electrifying pace, and a narrative that navigates the dark corridors of justice and ambition, Opposition is carving a place in Korea’s cinematic history – and it’s done so one intense frame at a time.