A film related to Korea's contemporary history has seen a remarkable surge in viewership following President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3.

According to the Korean Film Council, "12.12: The Day" attracted 1,150 views on Dec. 4 across Internet Protocol Television platforms, including SK Btv, LG U+ TV, and Genie TV. IPTV services provide online access to live broadcasts, films and TV shows.

The data represents a 1,085 percent increase from the 97 views recorded on Dec. 3.

"12.12: The Day" (2023) chronicles the military coup led by then-Defense Security Command chief Chun Doo-hwan on Dec. 12, 1979. Having seized power, Chun went on to become South Korea's fifth president in 1980 and ruled through 1988.

Since the martial law declaration, social media has been flooded with comparisons to the film, with memes likening Yoon to actor Hwang Jung-min’s portrayal of Chun.

"12.12: The Day" has also performed strongly on streaming platforms, maintaining its position at No. 1 on Netflix Korea's top 10 movie chart for five consecutive days from Friday to Tuesday. The film has surpassed other recent Korean releases, including "Pilot," "Escape" and "I Hate Korea."

Other works focusing on the history of democracy in South Korea are also drawing renewed interest.

"A Taxi Driver" (2017), which depicts the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, climbed the rankings, placing No. 6 on Tving, fourth on Coupang Play, No. 5 on Wavve and No. 1 on Watcha as of the beginning of this week.

Similarly, "1987: When the Day Comes" (2017), a film set against the backdrop of the June 1987 Democratic Uprising that paved the way for a direct presidential election in December that year, reached No. 11 on Tving’s popularity chart this week, while "Youth of May" (2021), a Wavve-exclusive series set in Gwangju during the nationwide implementation of martial law in May 1980, saw a 347 percent spike in viewing time.

The surge in interest extended beyond dramas and films to include current affairs and educational programming. Wavve reported the viewing time for the Dec. 5 episode of MBC's "100-Minute Debate" skyrocketed by 6,064 percent from its previous episode aired before the martial law declaration.