S. Korean film industry surpasses 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) in sales for the first time

February 2, 2015
"Roaring Currents" was South Korea's biggest hit last year. (Yonhap)

“Roaring Currents” was South Korea’s biggest hit last year. (Yonhap)

The South Korean film industry surpassed 2 trillion won, or about $1.8 billion, in sales for the first time last year, according to a Korean Film Council report Monday.

Sales — which include digital and overseas sales — rose 7.6 percent since 2013, although investment returns fell 0.3 percent, the report said.

Domestic movie ticket sales last year broke a record when they rose 7.3 percent from 2013 to earn about $1.5 billion, Yonhap reported.

The South Korean film industry has experienced a surge in numbers since 2012.

Last year, it surpassed 200 million ticket sales for the second year in a row, meaning, on average, each South Korean saw 4.19 films in theaters in 2014.