The number of movie tickets sold at domestic theaters is expected to hit a record high this year, thanks to the growing popularity of Korean films.

According to the Korean Film Council, 128 million tickets were sold at movie theaters in the first eight months, an increase of 20.2 percent from the same period last year. If the number continues this trend for the rest of the year, the tally for all of 2012 will reach 180 million, a 13 percent increase from 160 million last year, officials said.

The estimated figure would be the highest turnout since the film council started compiling box-office data in 2004 through online networks of movie theaters around the country.

The market share of Korean films at local theaters is also rising.

The share of patrons watching Korean movies is expected to reach 58.3 percent this year, up from 51.8 percent last year.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)