July kicks off with a flurry of must-see films. From the mystery movie Shadow Child starring breakout leads Park Soi and Yuna, to the buzz-worthy Wind Up: The Movie featuring NCT’s Jeno and Jaemin, the lineup spans multiple genres. Also dropping in early July are the true-story-inspired As One and the big-scale, prestige title Hope.
Amid a variety of Korean releases, one global crowd-pleaser is also gearing up: the birth of the Spider-Man series entry ‘Brand New Day.’
Here are the July releases set to draw moviegoers back into theaters despite the heat.
▲ Shadow Child
Genre Mystery, 105 minutes
Release 2026.07.01.
Cast Park Soi, Yuna, Lim Soo-jung
Shadow Child follows Su-an, who wakes from a three-year coma, as she encounters her changed mother Geum-ok and a girl named Jae-in who has the face of her late sister, Su-ryeon—pulling her into the eerie secrets behind a ‘shadow fairy tale.’
Park Soi plays Su-an, while Yuna takes on a dual role as Su-ryeon and Jae-in. Lim Soo-jung joins as Geum-ok, a mother who lost her daughter, channeling profound grief, anxiety, and maternal love to heighten the film’s tension.
▲ Wind Up: The Movie
Genre Drama, 88 minutes
Release 2026.07.02.
Cast Jeno, Jaemin, Lee Jong-hyuk, Oh Hyun-kyung
This coming-of-age sports drama tells the sparkling, innocent friendship between Woo-jin (played by Jeno), a high school pitcher who can’t throw a strike, and Tae-hee (played by Jaemin), a transfer student who declares himself Woo-jin’s manager. It’s the theatrical cut of the short-form drama ‘Wind Up.’
Ahead of release, Wind Up: The Movie has been re-edited from a vertical original into a horizontal format, promising distinct visuals and deeper immersion.
▲ As One
Genre Drama, 105 minutes
Release 2026.07.08.
Cast Kim Min-ha, Kim Joo-ryoung, Ahn Seo-hyun, Cho Seung-yeon
Based on in-depth interviews with more than 30 North Korean defectors who resettled in South Korea, As One chronicles the journey of a North Korean woman determined to keep moving forward in a foreign land. Starring Kim Min-ha, Kim Joo-ryoung, and Ahn Seo-hyun, the film is directed by Danish filmmaker Frederik Sølberg and opens July 8.
▲ Hope
Genre Sci-Fi
Release 2026.07.15.
Cast Hwang Jung Min, Jo In Sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Taylor Russell
Hope begins when Beom-seok, the head of the Hopohang outpost in the Demilitarized Zone, hears from local youths that a tiger has appeared. As the entire village goes on high alert, they confront a staggering new reality. Hwang Jung Min plays Beom-seok, Jo In Sung is Seong-gi, a village youth, and Jung Ho-yeon portrays police officer Seong-ae.
▲ Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Genre Action
Release 2026.07.29.
Cast Tom Holland, Zendaya Coleman, Sadie Sink
The new Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues the story after the powerhouse hit Spider-Man: No Way Home. Lead actor Tom Holland told foreign media, “I believe we’ve made the best version of any Spider-Man film to date,” expressing strong confidence in the project.