Man Living with the King Surpasses 12 Million Views

The film "The Man Who Lived with the King" has surpassed 12 million viewers, setting a record as the first film of 2026 to reach the 10 million mark. This achievement ranks it 20th in box office history and surpasses the record set by "Exhuma," the highest-grossing film of 2024.

Directed by Jang Hang-jun, the film is set in Cheongnyeongpo in 1457 and tells the story of a village chief (Yoo Hae-jin) who volunteers for exile to revitalize his village, and a young former king (Park Ji-hoon) who has been banished from the throne.

"The Man Who Lived with the King" surpassed 10 million viewers on the 6th, its 31st day of release, continuing the lineage of 10 million-viewer films after "Exhuma" and "The Roundup: Punishment" in 2024, marking the first time in two years. Director Jang Hang-jun has become a director of a 10 million-viewer film for the first time, and lead actor Yoo Hae-jin has become the protagonist of his fifth 10 million-viewer film.

Fueled by word-of-mouth, visitor numbers to Cheongnyeongpo and Jangneung in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, the film's setting, have also significantly increased. This month, a total of 37,294 visitors have been recorded at both locations, with cumulative visitors reaching 111,128 for the year.

President Lee Jae-myung commented on the news of "The Man Who Lived with the King" surpassing 10 million viewers, stating, "I heard the welcome news. It is even more meaningful as it is an achievement made two years after 2024," and mentioned that the sincerity conveyed by the work moved the audience's hearts.