K-pop fans fill movie theaters as concert film trend takes off

Still from NCT Dream's concert film ″NCT DREAM Mystery Lab: DREAM( )SCAPE in Cinemas″ [CJ 4DPLEX]
K-pop artists are making their mark on the silver screen, captivating fans with concert films and documentaries that offer an intimate glimpse into their worlds.

Singer Kim Jae-joong’s first-ever concert film, titled “Kim Jae Joong The 20th Anniversary Concert: Flower Garden,” is slated for release on Jan. 9. It will showcase Kim’s latest concert, held on July 21, which celebrated his 20th anniversary as a singer. Kim debuted in 2003 as a member of SM Entertainment's boy band TVXQ and left the band in 2009.

Kim’s concert film will also include never-before-seen interviews, as well as a voicemail message for his fans, according to the film’s distributor CJ CGV. The film will only be available at CGV theaters.

Kim’s film is not a new sight in the film industry, as more and more films starring K-pop artists are entering the box office.

Recently, boy band NCT Dream released its concert film, dubbed “NCT Dream Mystery Lab: Dream( )scape in Cinemas,” on Dec. 11, showcasing its May concert held in Korea.

Still from EXO's Baekhyun's concert film ″BAEKHYUN: Lonsdaleite [dot] IN CINEMAS″ [CJ 4DPLEX, CGV ICECON]
Virtual boy band Plave also released a concert film, titled “Plave Fan Concert 'Hello, Asterum!' Encore in Cinema,” on Dec. 4 in CGV theaters, while boy band EXO’s Baekhyun released his concert film, “Baekhyun: Lonsdaleite [dot] in Cinemas,” on Nov. 27.

There has been an evident trend of more concert films getting released in local theaters recently, and there is a reason: the genre has been breaking records.

Trot singer Lim Young-woong’s third concert film, “Lim Young Woong│Im Hero The Stadium,” attracted over 350,000 moviegoers after its release on Aug. 28. It secured the top spot for a concert film in both earnings and audience numbers. These figures are particularly notable, as most concert films typically attract audience numbers in just the tens of thousands.

Earlier this year, girl groups Blackpink and IVE, along with boy bands Highlight and Seventeen, also released concert films.

These movies, however, aren’t just about the screenings themselves. They’re often accompanied by various fan events, including meet and greets.

Blackpink held a “pink” carpet event, alongside a meet and greet, in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, celebrating the release of concert film "Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] in Cinema" in August.

Blackpink poses for photo during the pink carpet event to celebrate its concert film ″Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] in Cinema″ held on Aug. 9 in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul. [CJ 4DPLEX, CGV ICECON]
NCT Dream opened a light stick screening event, where fans brought their light sticks to create an experience similar to the group's real-life concerts.

Concert films aren’t the only genre K-pop artists are exploring. Another is documentaries.

BTS’s RM premiered his documentary “RM: Right People, Wrong Place” on Dec. 5. The film, directed by Lee Seok-jun, follows the eighth-month-long process of RM working on his second solo album, “Right Place, Wrong Person,” and includes his struggles and sincere thoughts.

The movie was also invited to the 29th Busan International Film Festival held in October.

RM’s bandmate Jungkook also released the documentary film “Jung Kook: I Am Still" on Sept. 18, which follows the artist's solo career, from his first solo single "Seven" (2023) to his album "Golden" released last November.

Still from BTS member RM's documentary “RM: Right People, Wrong Place” [HYBE]
While K-pop artists dominate concert film screenings, they aren’t the only ones making a splash, as foreign artists are also aiming to capture the attention of Korean fans and moviegoers with films of their own.

Japanese artist Mrs. Green Apple released the concert film “Mrs. Green Apple // The White Lounge in Cinema” on Dec. 16, along with fan meet and greets.

U.S. singer Taylor Swift’s concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which documents Swift’s shows at SoFi Stadium in California, premiered at select CGV theaters in Korea late last year, garnering over 30,000 moviegoers.

As more concert films are being released, the film industry is increasingly embracing the genre, hoping it will become a significant pillar of the market.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, we had more opportunities to actively test these types of films,” Seo Ji-myeong, the head of CJ CGV's communications team, said to the Korea JoongAng Daily. “Through these active attempts, we were able to find that there was indeed demand for such films. Also, factors, such as fandom culture, matured significantly, and as these various elements aligned, we believe the market was able to naturally expand.”

“From a cinema's point of view, while concert films may not be the main focus in terms of sourcing movies, they have already established themselves as an important part of our lineup. We believe this will continue to grow."