[26.03.06] “The King’s Warden” Surpasses 10 Million Viewers

“The King’s Warden” Surpasses 10 Million Viewers, Reviving Korean Box Office

📍Reaches 10 Million in 31 Days…25th Korean Film and Fourth Historical Epic to Achieve the Milestone

The film “The King’s Warden” has surpassed 10 million moviegoers, leaving a major mark on the Korean box office. The achievement is being viewed as a significant success that brought audiences back to theaters amid concerns over a slowdown in the Korean film industry.

🔹 10 Million Viewers in 31 Days
Distributor Showbox announced that the film surpassed 10 million cumulative viewers at around 6:30 p.m. on March 6.  It took only 31 days after its release on February 4 to reach the milestone.

With this record, the film became the 34th movie released in Korea and the 25th Korean film overall to surpass 10 million viewers.

Among historical films, it is the fourth to reach the milestone after “The King and the Clown,” “Masquerade,” and “The Admiral: Roaring Currents.”

🔹 First 10-Million Film in Two Years
The success comes at a time when the Korean film market has been facing concerns about stagnation. The industry had previously produced consecutive box office hits such as “The Roundup 2,” “The Roundup 3,” “12.12: The Day,” “Exhuma,” and “The Roundup 4.”

However, that streak ended last year.

The most successful Korean film at the time, “Zombie Daughter,” attracted only about 5.6 million viewers, while the annual box office top spot went to international animations including “Zootopia 2” and “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.”

🔹 Director Jang Hang-jun’s First 10-Million Film
The milestone also marks a career highlight for director Jang Hang-jun.

He made his directing debut with “Turn on the Lighter” in 2002 and continued directing films such as “Spring Breeze,” “Forgotten,” and “Rebound.”

“The King’s Warden” became the first film in his 24-year directing career to surpass 10 million viewers.

🔹 Actors Also Set New Records
Lead actor Yoo Hae-jin added his fifth 10-million film to his career, following “The King and the Clown,” “Veteran,” “A Taxi Driver,” and “Exhuma.”

His cumulative audience total across films has now exceeded 50 million viewers.

Park Ji-hoon joined the ranks of 10-million actors with his first commercial film as a lead actor.

Yoo Ji-tae also recorded the first 10-million film of his career as a lead actor.

🔹 Mid-Budget Film Success
The production cost of the film was approximately 10 billion won, with a break-even point estimated at about 2.6 million viewers.

By surpassing 10 million viewers, the film attracted nearly four times the break-even audience.

Industry analysts say the film demonstrates the potential of mid-budget productions that focus on storytelling rather than large-scale spectacle.

🔹 Historical Fiction About King Danjong
The film portrays the final months of King Danjong of the Joseon Dynasty after he was dethroned and exiled to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province.

The story builds upon a brief historical record describing his death, expanding it into a fictionalized historical drama.

Through the relationship between the young king and a village leader, the film presents an emotional narrative that resonated with audiences.

🔹 Box Office Momentum Continues
The film’s box office momentum has not slowed even after reaching the 10-million mark.

It continues to attract around 200,000 viewers on weekdays.

During the Independence Movement Day holiday weekend, it drew more than 810,000 viewers in a single day.

As the film maintains strong attendance even in its fourth week, attention is now focused on how high its final box office total will climb.

One-line summary : “The King’s Warden” surpassed 10 million viewers in 31 days, signaling renewed momentum for the Korean film industry.