Two very different films are drawing audiences across East Asia. Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot remained No. 1 in China after earning $9.3 million during the October 16–18 weekend, taking its cumulative gross in the market to $55.8 million. In South Korea, Japanese animated feature Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island led the same weekend with 378,479 admissions and a 42.74% share of national box-office revenue. The results put a Hollywood horror franchise and a character-driven animated adventure at the centre of the region’s latest theatrical box-office story.
Resident Evil opened in China on Monday, October 5, during the National Day Golden Week holiday period. Its reported $12.1 million opening day set a record for the biggest opening day by a Hollywood horror film in the Chinese market. The unusual Monday launch gave the reboot access to the holiday moviegoing period, but its performance since then suggests that the opening was not its only strength.
The film earned approximately RMB 62.5 million, or $9.3 million, between October 16 and 18, retaining the top position for a second consecutive weekend even as cinema attendance cooled after Golden Week. Its cumulative gross in China reached $55.8 million, putting it ahead of local competitors, including Traces of Justice, which collected approximately $6.8 million over the same weekend.
The run also marks a career high for director Zach Cregger. Resident Evil has crossed $320 million worldwide, overtaking Weapons, his previous hit, which earned approximately $270 million globally. The milestone makes Resident Evil Cregger’s highest-grossing film to date and highlights how his horror sensibility has connected with audiences through an established video-game and film franchise.
In South Korea, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island delivered the weekend’s most striking result. The film earned approximately 3.86 billion won between October 16 and 18 and sold 378,479 tickets, according to the Korean Film Council’s box-office database. Its 42.74% share of nationwide box-office revenue put it comfortably ahead of the competition.
The gap was evident against two major Korean live-action releases. The Assassin(s) earned approximately 1.41 billion won over the weekend, while Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub collected around 1.98 billion won. Both films recorded lower individual weekend grosses than Chiikawa, an impressive result for an animated feature competing against prominent domestic titles.
The film’s success has also built over several weeks. Released in South Korea on September 30, it had reached 1,828,914 admissions and cumulative revenue of nearly 18.88 billion won by October 18. That translates to more than $14 million at approximate exchange rates. The story follows Chiikawa and friends on a journey to a mysterious island, bringing the popular Japanese character phenomenon to cinemas in a feature-length adventure.
The two results demonstrate how very different films can find audiences across the region. Resident Evil has combined franchise recognition with a strong holiday launch, while Chiikawa has turned an established character fan base into a theatrical hit. Both releases underline the importance of sustained audience interest beyond opening-weekend attention.
Their performances also highlight why each market deserves its own lens, with audiences responding to different stories, characters and theatrical experiences.
China Box Office: October 16–18, 2026
- Resident Evil — $9.3 million | Cumulative: $55.8 million
- Traces of Justice — $6.8 million | Cumulative: $84.6 million
- Mr. & Mrs. Pardon — $4.1 million | Cumulative: $303.9 million
- All Wishes Come True — $0.8 million | Cumulative: $303.9 million
- Three Kingdoms: The Beginning (re-release) — $0.84 million | Cumulative: $14.55 million
South Korea Box Office: October 16–18, 2026
- Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island — $2.7 million | Admissions: 378,479 | Cumulative: $14 million+
- The Assassin(s) — $1.0 million | Admissions: 140,019 | Cumulative: $22 million+
- Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub — $1.4 million | Admissions: 190,123 | Cumulative: $12 million+
- The Odyssey — $0.9 million | Admissions: 95,209 | Cumulative: $103 million+
- Reawakened Man — $0.4 million | Admissions: 49,348 | Cumulative: $2.2 million