The year 2025, more eventful than most, is nearing its end. From joyous news of relationships and marriages to the unfortunate passing of stars, and controversies that shocked the public, the entertainment world delivered a variety of stories. In this context, broadcasters, OTT platforms, and theaters delighted audiences with a stream of new content. We review this year’s cinema highlights.
According to Xportsnews, 2025 was marked by visits from major global stars like Tom Cruise, and the prominence of Hollywood and Japanese films such as ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.’
The ever-friendly ‘Uncle Tom,’ Tom Cruise, visited Korea last May with the eighth installment of the ‘Mission Impossible’ series, ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ (directed by Christopher McQuarrie).
This marked Tom Cruise’s 12th visit to Korea, making him the Hollywood star with the most visits since his first in 1994 for ‘Interview with the Vampire.’ His presence was met with enthusiastic cheers.
With ‘Mission Impossible,’ Tom Cruise highlighted a 30-year journey that once again excited domestic fans, attracting 3.39 million viewers.
Following Tom Cruise, Scarlett Johansson visited Korea in July.
Known for her role as the Marvel hero Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson has many fans in Korea. She returned to Korea on July 2 with ‘Jurassic World: A New Beginning’ (directed by Gareth Edwards), marking her second visit after ‘Ghost in the Shell’ in 2017.
Thanks to her active promotion, the film garnered a final audience of 2.22 million, solidifying its success.
‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle,’ released on August 25 in Korea, led the domestic box office until ‘Zootopia 2’ premiered, demonstrating impressive success.
Alongside popular Japanese animation, many Japanese films also made a significant mark. The live-action film ‘Kokuhō (National Treasure),’ directed by Korean-Japanese director Lee Sang-il, surpassed 12 million viewers in Japan, drawing attention. Following its November 19 Korean release, it topped the independent and art film box office, surpassing 170,000 domestic viewers by mid-December.
The 2025 box office rankings shifted with the November 26 release of ‘Zootopia 2’ (directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard).
Eight years after its predecessor, the sequel ‘Zootopia 2’ released on the 19th, surpassing ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ (directed by Haruo Sotozaki) to become the year’s biggest hit.
With steady audience growth, it exceeded 5.71 million accumulated viewers by the 18th, surpassing ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle”s 5.68 million recorded viewers.
This made ‘Zootopia 2’ not only the top film at the 2025 domestic box office but also the first Disney animation to lead the annual box office in Korea.
By the 20th, it had surpassed 6 million viewers, becoming the first film since ‘Veteran 2’ to reach this milestone in just over a year.
Following ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle,’ the Brad Pitt-starring ‘F1: The Movie,’ released in June, reached 5.21 million viewers, ranking fourth. The Japanese animation ‘Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc’ gathered 3.42 million viewers, taking fifth place, while ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ secured the sixth spot.
As Hollywood and Japanese films continue to dominate the Korean box office, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ (directed by James Cameron), released worldwide on the 17th, also surpassed 1 million viewers in just four days, adding to the international film success.
