August in Korean theaters kicked off with news that Christopher Nolan made his first-ever visit to the country. He landed at Gimpo Business Aviation Center on August 1 alongside Matt Damon and Charlize Theron, ahead of the Korean release of his new film, The Odyssey. Here’s a full rundown of what’s showing in Korean cinemas this month.
The Odyssey — Opens August 5
- Odyssey preview : https://youtu.be/zz2ZH13NOi8?si=XXrXfcQFUYO958BN
Christopher Nolan brings Homer’s epic to the screen, with Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, Tom Holland as his son Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Charlize Theron as Calypso, and Zendaya as the goddess Athena — an ensemble cast on a genuinely massive scale.
The film was shot on location in Morocco, Greece, Italy, and Iceland, and it’s the first movie in history to be shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, aimed at maximizing the sense of scale and immersion. By its second week, global box office had already crossed $639.6 million, with a 97% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A CinemaScore rating — a rare combination of critical and audience love.
Nolan visited SBS’s Mokdong studio on August 3 as part of an active press push ahead of the Korean release. For Matt Damon, this is also his first trip to Korea in ten years, since Jason Bourne.
Ok Madam 2 — Opens August 12
This is the sequel to 2020’s Ok Madam, which pulled in 1.22 million admissions despite opening in the middle of the pandemic. Uhm Jung-hwa, Park Sung-woong, Lee Sang-yoon, and Bae Jung-nam all return from the original, joined by newcomers Park Jin-joo and Ryeoun. Director Lee Cheol-ha is back behind the camera, and the sequel promises an even bigger scale and more elaborate action than the first film.
Hope — Still a Box Office Force
Na Hong-jin’s Hope crossed 4 million admissions as of August 2. It had already sold out its international pre-sales at the Cannes Film Market before release, and even with major Hollywood titles crowding theaters, it’s holding a 44.3% seat occupancy rate — an impressive number given the competition. (We covered the full cast and its Cannes reception in an earlier post if you want the details.)
Also Opening in August
Families have an option too: the animated film Hachuping: Legend of the Whale Jewel also opens August 5. Alongside that, the first week of August brings a full spread of genres — the emotional drama Last Summer, the thriller Deadlock, and the comedy Jackass: The Best & The Last.
What to Know Before You Go
Hollywood films in Korea are almost always shown subtitled, not dubbed. That means something like The Odyssey plays in its original English audio with Korean subtitles on screen — so if you’re an English speaker, you can watch it comfortably without worrying about dubbing.
Korean films, on the other hand — like Ok Madam 2 and Hope — are shown in Korean audio only, and English subtitles are rare. If Korean isn’t your strong suit, it’s usually better to wait for these to hit streaming platforms like Netflix.
If you want to catch The Odyssey in IMAX, book early. Since it was shot specifically for IMAX film, reviewers are saying it’s worth seeing on the biggest screen possible — which means IMAX theaters in Seoul are likely to sell out fast in the opening weeks.
Quick Checklist
- The Odyssey is subtitled, not dubbed, so English speakers can watch it comfortably
- Book early if you want IMAX — seats are likely to sell out around the release date
- Korean films rarely have English subtitles in theaters — if that’s a barrier, wait for streaming
- Haven’t seen Hope yet? With 4 million admissions and counting, it’s worth finding out why
Final Thoughts
From Christopher Nolan’s first-ever visit to Korea to Hope proving Korean cinema’s staying power at the box office, this August’s theater lineup is unusually packed. If you’re in Korea or visiting this month, it’s a great chance to catch a Hollywood blockbuster without a language barrier — and experience the distinct energy of Korean cinema at the same time.
