Is Korea ready for era of YouTuber directors?
A promotional poster for Kane Parsons' horror film "Backrooms" / Courtesy of A24
Low-budget films by 'YouTube kids' become talk of Hollywood
The production budget was only about $7.5 million. By Hollywood standards, that is low even among low-budget films. The film may have the size of David, but its box-office performance is on the scale of Goliath.
Released May 15, it earned $161.22 million in North American theaters alone as of June 7. Including overseas markets, it has generated $234.5 million in revenue. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that several major markets, including Korea, have yet to see its release. What is especially surprising is that this is not a case of opening-week hype — the audience continues to grow over time. These are some of the reasons why the American horror film "Obsession" has become the talk of Hollywood.
Director Cu.rry Barker attends the Los Angeles Special Screening of Focus Features' "Obsession" at the Hollywood Legion Theater, May 11. AFP-Yonhap
"Obsession" is not the only example. Another horror film, "Backrooms," has also astonished Hollywood. Made on a budget of $10 million, it has earned $143 million in North America alone since its release on the 29th of last month. Adding overseas revenue brings the total to $220.63 million. In Korea, where it opened May 27, it has attracted 870,000 moviegoers as of June 11. For a horror film, that is an impressive box-office result.
The directors of these two films, each earning more than twenty times their production costs, are newcomers. Both are in their 20s. "Obsession" director Curry Barker was born in 1999. "Backrooms" director Kane Parsons was born in 2005. In Korea, they would be at an age when they had either just graduated from college or were still attending.
Barker and Parsons are "YouTube kids." They first gained popularity by uploading videos to YouTube and used that success as a springboard into Hollywood. Barker's YouTube channel has around 1.2 million subscribers, while Parsons has approximately 3.33 million. Popular YouTubers have made their way into the heart of Hollywood.
Hollywood is not paying attention to them simply because they are popular. Although YouTube was their primary platform, their videos possess a distinctly cinematic quality. Since YouTube's launch in 2005, the platform has been as natural to them as air. They grew up watching videos on YouTube, naturally absorbing its language and culture, and likely incorporated those elements into their own creative work.
What sets them apart from many other successful YouTubers is their particular love of cinema. They are now demonstrating on the big screen directing skills that were first proven on YouTube. Their established online recognition can help with marketing, and their ability to appeal to the sensibilities of fellow Generation Z viewers (those born between 1997 and 2006) is another advantage. Their success may well signal the beginning of a generational shift in Hollywood.
Director Kane Parsons attends the LA special screening of "Backrooms" at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Calif., May 7, 2026. AFP-Yonhap
This is not something that can happen only in Hollywood. The emergence of a new generation of YouTuber directors in Korea is likely only a matter of time. Director Ryoo Seung-wan was just 27 years old when he drew attention with "Die Bad" (2000). More important than age is talent — and the creation of an industry ecosystem capable of nurturing that talent. The Korean film industry, too, should begin investing in discovering and supporting YouTuber directors.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.