Animation ‘The King of Kings’ becomes highest-grossing S. Korean film in U.S.

April 28, 2025

“The King of Kings,” a South Korean animation about the life of Jesus, has become the most popular ever South Korean film in the United States in terms of revenue, data showed Monday.

The animation film has posted a combined US$54.51 million in ticket sales at the U.S. box office as of last week since its release on April 11, according to data compiled by its production company, Mofac Studios.

The figure broke the previous record of $53.84 million set by Oscar-winning Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” released in 2019.

“The King of Kings” was written and directed by Jang Seong-ho, head of Mofac Studios, renowned for its top-notch visual effects, and features the birth and resurrection of Jesus, inspired by Charles Dickens’ book “The Life of Our Lord.”

The film starred renowned Hollywood actors as its voice cast, including Pierce Brosnan, Oscar Isaac and Uma Thurman.

This photo, provided by Mofac Studios, shows a scene from the movie "The King of Kings," which maintains a strong grip on the North American box office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by Mofac Studios, shows a scene from the movie “The King of Kings,” which maintains a strong grip on the North American box office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)