[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Director Jang Hang-jun is all smiles as his first historical film, “The Man Who Lives With the King,” approaches the 10 million admissions milestone. With strong word-of-mouth and a growing trend of repeat viewings, expectations are rising that the film will soon join the ranks of “10-million-viewer” Korean blockbusters.
According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office system on March 5, the film has recorded 9.59 million cumulative admissions. Since its release on Feb. 4, the movie surpassed 1 million viewers within five days, 2 million in 12 days, and 3 million in just 14 days.
During the Lunar New Year holiday, the film drew 2.67 million viewers, earning the title of the holiday box-office leader. Even more than a month after its release, it continues to attract strong audience interest. With about 600,000 viewers remaining to reach 10 million, industry observers expect the milestone could be achieved within this week.
“The Man Who Lives With the King” is the first Korean film to place King Danjong at the center of its story. Expanding on the limited historical records with cinematic imagination, the film portrays the tragic final chapter of the young monarch often remembered as the “ill-fated king.”
The film’s emotionally resonant narrative and vivid scenes filmed on location in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province have been cited as key factors behind its box-office success.
The cast includes Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Hae-jin, Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do, with supporting performances by Lee Jun-hyuk, Ahn Jae-hong and Park Ji-hwan, whose strong on-screen presence helps keep the story compelling throughout the runtime.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
