Seoul: The number of moviegoers for South Korean films jumped 75 percent on-year in the first half of the year, led by the historical film "The King's Warden," which topped 16 million admissions, data showed Sunday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Korean films drew 37.4 million admissions in the January-June period, compared with 21.4 million viewers the previous year, as per the data released by the Korean Film Council. During the same period, ticket sales of domestic films soared 81.7 percent on-year, reaching 370 billion won (US$242 million).

Despite the number of newly released Korean movies falling to 217 from 240 the previous year, viewer admissions and ticket sales experienced significant growth, largely driven by the popularity of "The King's Warden." Directed by Jang Hang-jun, the film attracted 16.9 million admissions, making it the second-most-watched film of all time in South Korea.

Additionally, other films contributed to this surge in viewership. The Korean zombie thriller "Colony" broke 5 million admissions, while the supernatural horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water" surpassed 3 million admissions, further boosting the overall performance of Korean films in the first half of the year.