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Superman (left) and Jurassic World: New Dawn are set to face off at the Korean box office this weekend. / Courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea & Universal Pictures

This weekend, the South Korean box office is set for a high-stakes showdown between two blockbuster titans: Superman and Jurassic World: New Dawn. The return of the perfect superhero and the relentless force of dinosaurs is fueling fierce competition in theaters nationwide.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing system on July 11, Superman holds a slight edge with a reservation rate of 18.6% (87,331 tickets), just ahead of Jurassic World: New Dawn at 16.6% (77,853 tickets) — a narrow two-percentage-point lead.

In daily attendance figures, Superman has topped the box office for two consecutive days since its July 9 release, drawing 56,912 viewers on July 10. Jurassic World, close behind with 47,097, has now reached a cumulative audience of 1,279,838.

Given the close margin in both pre-sales and daily viewership, experts say the weekend outcome remains unpredictable. A theater representative noted, “The current booking gap isn’t wide enough to secure a decisive lead. On-site ticket sales could easily tip the scale in either direction.” The rep added, “While Superman has strong brand recognition, Jurassic World, starring Scarlett Johansson—who recently visited Korea and appeared on You Quiz on the Block—might have a slight edge in appealing to local fans.”

The new Superman film is the seventh theatrical release centered on the iconic hero. Directed by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame, it introduces David Corenswet in his first appearance as the Man of Steel.

Meanwhile, Jurassic World: New Dawn continues the franchise that has grossed $6 billion globally, serving as a sequel to both the original Jurassic Park trilogy and the Jurassic World series.

Other contenders in the top five reservation rankings include F1: The Movie, a car-racing blockbuster starring Brad Pitt, with a 13.2% reservation rate. Two upcoming Korean releases — the action-fantasy Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (premiering July 23) and the horror-thriller Noise starring Lee Sun-bin — followed with 9.9% and 8.3%, respectively.