From 'Salmokji' to 'If Wishes Could Kill': Gen Z drives Korean horror hits into real world

Posters for "Salmokji: Whispering Water," left, and "If Wishes Could Kill" / Courtesy of Showbox and Netflix

Immersive horror is dominating Korea's entertainment landscape. Entertainment studios have merged digital app ecosystems and real-world location hunting to captivate Gen Z audiences and maximize commercial lifespans well beyond the theater.

"Salmokji: Whispering Water" recently surpassed 3 million domestic ticket sales, becoming the second-highest-grossing Korean horror film of all time. The narrative follows a film crew that returns to a reservoir for reshoots after spotting an unidentified figure on street-view footage, only to discover a lethal threat in the deep water.

The film overtook the 2018 hit "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum," which drew 2.68 million viewers, and trails behind the all-time record holder, the 2003 film "A Tale of Two Sisters" (3.14 million).

The film inspired real-world exploration by filming on location at the Salmokji Reservoir in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province. Already famous from MBC's "Midnight Horror Story" and local ghost stories, the setting blurred the line between fiction and reality. This prompted fans to flock to the filming sites, where late-night thrill-seekers posted photos of their visits on social media, driving viral engagement.

The strategy mirrors the approach of "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum," which maximized realism by leveraging online rumors about an actual psychiatric hospital alongside a mockumentary format.

Crowds gather during the early morning hours at the Salmokji Reservoir in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province, the actual setting of the horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water." Captured from X

The Netflix series "If Wishes Could Kill" demonstrated the success of this formula in global streaming, reaching No. 1 on the platform's Global Top 10 list for non-English TV shows just two weeks after its release. The narrative centers on high school students who receive sudden death notices from a cursed, wish-granting smartphone app. Producers expanded the universe by releasing a tie-in app on Google Play and the App Store.

The app accurately mimics the show's design, logo and sound effects, allowing users to upload wish videos and check a survival timer. Listing a character from the series as the developer solidified the app as a direct extension of the fictional universe. The release sparked intense online discussion, with social media users debating, "Has anyone actually downloaded it?" and "What happens if you use it?"

The mobile application "If Wishes Could Kill," released by the production company for the Netflix original series / Captured from Apple's App Store

These recent hits share a deliberate focus on plausible narratives and horror that continues past initial viewing. Gen Z are digital natives, making them uniquely responsive to this realistic fear. Young audiences consume media collectively rather than in isolation, using online buzz to share reactions and extend a film's lifespan.

Harnessing this digital engagement now drives commercial success. Moving away from cheap scares, industry leaders are prioritizing horror rooted in realistic stories that audiences can directly experience and share, cementing interactive immersion as the core formula for success for the modern genre.

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.