Director Jang Hang-jun, Man Who Lives With the King, Ten Million

The film "The Man Who Lived with the King" surpassed 10 million cumulative viewers in 31 days of its release, becoming the 34th film in history to reach this milestone. This achievement, the first in two years amidst a general decline in cinema attendance, marks the third film released in 2024 to hit the 10 million mark, following "Exhuma" and "The Roundup: Punishment."

The movie warmly portrays the story of the deposed King Danjong, Yi Hongwi (played by Park Ji-hoon), spending his final days among the villagers in exile. The profound connection between the village chief Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin) and Danjong, transcending status and age, has been praised for delivering a cross-generational emotional impact. The immersive performances of the cast, including lead actors Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon, as well as Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do, also contributed to its box office success.

"The Man Who Lived with the King" quickly garnered audiences by dominating the box office during the Lunar New Year and Samiljeol (Independence Movement Day) holidays. It surpassed 1 million viewers in just 5 days and 2 million in 12 days. On Lunar New Year's Day, it reached 3 million viewers, and by the 15th day, it exceeded 4 million. On Samiljeol, it set a new record for daily attendance with over 817,000 viewers.

With this success, "The Man Who Lived with the King" has become the fourth historical film to reach 10 million viewers, following "King and the Clown," "Masquerade," and "The Admiral: Roaring Currents." In terms of speed to reach 10 million viewers, "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" was the fastest at 12 days. "The Man Who Lived with the King" achieved this milestone faster than "Masquerade" (38 days) and "King and the Clown" (50 days), recording 31 days.

Director Jang Hang-jun expressed his joy and humility ahead of the 10 million milestone, stating, "I am happy but also cautious in a situation I never imagined." President Lee Jae-myung and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hui-young also sent congratulatory messages, supporting the vitality and renewed leap forward of the Korean film industry.