Chiikawa’s first animated feature, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island, has been a box-office hit since opening on July 24. Bolstered by a steady stream of theater-exclusive bonuses, it has become Japan’s highest-grossing film of the year.
Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island will officially open in South Korea on September 30. Ahead of its release, Korean cinema chain CGV unveiled three Chiikawa character popcorn buckets—and the adorable designs have Japanese fans wishing they could get their hands on them too.
According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated cinema ticketing website, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island ranked No. 1 in real-time advance ticket sales as of the evening of September 29, with 229,338 admissions sold and a 43.2% presale share.
In a post on Instagram, CGV revealed that the popcorn buckets will go on sale when Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island opens in South Korea. Three versions will be available—Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi—each clutching a serving of popcorn. The popcorn appears to be loaded through an opening behind each character’s head.
Each bucket is priced at 29,000 won and will go on sale when the film opens on September 30. A second sales round is planned after the first batch sells out, with dates to be announced later.
Japan’s original release only featured a Chiikawa popcorn bucket dressed in the character’s “island outfit,” and even that single version sparked a buying frenzy.
Once news of the Korean release surfaced, Japanese fans on X responded with comments including, “I’m so jealous they get three versions,” “It looks like you can watch the movie together—so cute,” and simply, “I’m jealous!”
Korean fans are just as excited about the collection, posting comments such as, “If I don’t get one, I might regret it for the rest of my life,” and “I’m lining up at CGV for the first screening of the day.”
It looks like Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island is ready to kick off another wave of Chiikawa fever—this time in South Korea.