A zombie outbreak and a tiny anime character may seem worlds apart, but both have connected with moviegoers across Asia. Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil has held the top spot at the mainland China box office for a fourth consecutive weekend, while Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island has achieved the same feat in South Korea. Between October 30 and November 1, the horror reboot added $4.3 million in China, taking its local total to $71.3 million. In South Korea, Chiikawa claimed 32.11% of the weekend market, pushing its cumulative admissions beyond 2.58 million. Both films have maintained their positions despite fresh competition.
In China, Resident Evil retained its lead as the long-delayed local theatrical release of the original John Wick arrived in cinemas. The 2014 action film opened in third place with $2.3 million, while Resident Evil stayed ahead. New Classics Pictures’ procedural drama Traces of Justice secured second place with $3.9 million. The result gives the horror reboot four consecutive weekends at No. 1 since its October 5 launch during China’s Golden Week holiday period, taking its cumulative Chinese earnings to $71.3 million.
That local performance is part of a larger franchise milestone. Resident Evil opened in North America to approximately $60 million, marking the biggest domestic opening in the history of the film series, which began in 2002. Its worldwide box office has approached $400 million, making it the highest-grossing instalment in the franchise, ahead of 2016’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. The achievement gives the series a new commercial high point nearly a quarter-century after the first film reached theatres.
China has become one of the reboot’s strongest markets. With more than $70 million collected there, it ranks as the third-highest-grossing Hollywood release in the country in 2026, behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. The film is not simply holding the weekend crown; it is building a substantial cumulative total in a market where major international releases compete for audience attention.
Directed by Zach Cregger, the new chapter follows a courier whose delivery to a remote hospital turns into a fight for survival as an outbreak unleashes a series of dangerous creatures. Its continued run demonstrates that the franchise retains considerable theatrical appeal.
South Korea’s box-office chart tells a different story. Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island, adapted from the popular Japanese character phenomenon, remained at No. 1 for a fourth consecutive weekend. It attracted 221,657 viewers between October 30 and November 1, accounting for 32.11% of the market, according to the Korean Film Council. Released on September 30, the film crossed two million admissions in 25 days and 2.5 million in 33 days. Its cumulative audience has now reached 2,583,857, with its South Korean box-office revenue exceeding $20 million.
Its latest win came against the arrival of Brad Pitt’s survival thriller Heart of the Beast. The Hollywood film opened in second place with 162,795 admissions over the same weekend, leaving Chiikawa comfortably ahead. The result is notable for a Japanese animated feature built around expressive characters, competing against a major Hollywood release led by an internationally recognised star.
The film’s success has also extended beyond cinemas. In Seoul, queues have formed outside official Chiikawa merchandise stores, with fans reportedly camping overnight to purchase limited-edition products. Some sought-after items have appeared on resale platforms for as much as ten times their retail price. The characters’ appeal is not based on cuteness alone. Their everyday worries, money troubles and small struggles have struck a chord with young viewers who recognise aspects of their own lives in the stories.
Together, the two box-office runs offer a snapshot of audience demand across the region. In China, a familiar horror property has turned a reboot into the franchise’s biggest theatrical hit. In South Korea, a gentle Japanese animation has outlasted a new Brad Pitt release and developed into a wider fan culture. The films could hardly be more different, yet both have held their ground for four consecutive weekends. For cinemas across the region, the weekend offered two very different reasons for audiences to keep buying tickets.
China Box Office: October 30–November 1, 2026
- Resident Evil — $4.3 million | Cumulative: $71.3 million
- Traces of Justice — $3.9 million | Cumulative: $98.5 million
- John Wick (2014) — $2.3 million | Opening weekend
- Mr. & Mrs. Pardon — $2 million | Cumulative: $59 million
- Once Upon a Time in the Middle East — $900,000 | Cumulative: $356.9 million
South Korea Box Office: October 30–November 1, 2026
- Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island — 221,657 admissions | Cumulative: 2,583,857
- Heart of the Beast — 162,795 admissions | Cumulative: 215,242
- Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng — 44,800 admissions | Cumulative: 71,768
- The Assassin(s) — 41,265 admissions | Cumulative: 3,448,036
- Attack on Titan: Crimson Arrows — 30,263 admissions | Cumulative: 72,324
