Chiikawa Movie Hits 1M Korean Viewers in 10 Days

The animated film adaptation of the popular character franchise Chiikawa has achieved a major milestone in South Korea, drawing over 1 million viewers within its first ten days in theaters.

Distributor Daewon Media confirmed the achievement on October 9, following the movie's September 30 launch. The film, titled 'Chiikawa: The Secret of the Mermaid Island,' demonstrated strong momentum from the outset, accumulating 600,000 admissions by day five and reaching 818,352 by day eight. This pace outpaced a comparable recent release—the Chainsaw Man movie reached the same 1 million-viewer threshold two days later, on its twelfth day.

The film's performance extends beyond South Korea. In Japan, where screenings began in late July, the movie generated 17.2 billion yen in box office revenue with approximately 11.78 million cumulative viewers as of early October.

Audience reception metrics in South Korea reflect the strong turnout. The film earned ratings of 9.1 on both Naver and Megabox platforms, 9.3 at Lotte Cinema, and scored 94% on the CGV Golden Egg Index.

The film follows Chiikawa and companions as they journey to a mysterious island for a monster-hunting adventure. Creator Nagano penned the screenplay, with director Kei Oikawa helming the production. The 99-minute feature carries a G rating. Daewon Media secured Korean distribution rights, while CJ ENM handled theatrical release.

Beyond the film's theatrical run, Daewon Media has launched a broader commercial strategy around the franchise. Partnerships include collaborations with Olive Young's Delight Project, the LG Twins baseball team, and Wacky Willy, spanning merchandise categories including food and beverage, clothing, beauty products, and sports-related items.